The Sun. — London, England, 1854-03-17 00:00:00

LITERATURE. Travels in Bolivia. By L. Hugh de Bonelli. 2 vols. Hurst and Blackett. A record of a sojourn in this comparatively un known district will present to the general reader the attraction of novelty. While more remote and more uncultivated lands have engaged the attention of the traveller and the reader, the number is small of those who make a tour in this part of South America for pleasure. This arises probably from the absence of anything of great natural or historical interest, while the inhabitants do not occupy a suffi ciently important position to excite the curiosity or interest of foreigners like their neighbours of the North. Those who are not well acquainted with its peculiarities will find them agreeably de scribed in the present volumes, and may gain the results of the author's experience without under going any of his perils or fatigues in acquiring it. One feature of the country is its silver mines, which, owing to the want of capital and of proper methods of working them, have been in a great measure abandoned. They are all worked by manual labour. The men make incisions in the rock with crowbars, and when the aperture is large enough they explode it. The fumes of the powder, it is said, hang about the mine for hours. Owing to the want of venti lation the employment is a very fatal one—the average rate of life being thirty years ! During the author's stay at La Paz he found himself in the midst of the scenes which took place in the Revolution of March, 1849. General Belza and his battalions having been sud denly summoned away, the city was soon plunged into riot and confusion. Some partisans of the late President proclaimed him. The Choloes, who had suffered from his rule, opposed them, and skirmishes ensued, in which many harmless citizens were accidentally killed. The authorities forwarded urgent entreaties for succour to General Belza. It being rumoured that he would immediately return, the Bollivian party decamped. But the result was not very satisfactory, for the Choices, finding them selves masters of the town, commenced plunder. Had it not been for the exertions of the friars of the Rece:ites the destruction would have been complete. Matters were not much improved by the return of General Belza, for he ordered the houses and stores of General Ballivian to be surrendered to the Choloes as a reward for their support of the Govern ment. This naturally increased their rapacity and dissipation. They broke into many houses, in cluding that inhabited by the author. He also encountered some disagreeable adventures on the road from the city of La Paz to that of Chuqui sac 1, the capital of Bolivia. Along the tracts of saltpetre in this neighbourhood, the country people never venture without masks of reen or neutral tinted glass, for, otherwise, the reflection from the ground, under the influence of a mid-day sun, seriously affects the eyes. Notwithstanding fre quent mishaps, and having often lost his way, the writer gives a vivid description of the scenery. He thinks it superior to the Alps, in the quality of grandeur, owing to the tropical clime. He nar rates the chief points of the cities and the charac teristics of the inhabitants ; and those who are de sirous of forming some acquaintance with the pecu liarities, natural, social, and political, of this portion of South America, will find much to afford them information and entertainment in these volumes. The Star Chamber. By W. Harrison Ainsworth. 2 vols. Routledge. The announcement of a new historical romance from the pen of Mr. Ainsworth must be peculiarly gratifying to all lovers of romance. The title and subject of this will not disappoint them, for it affords full scope for the author's powers in the delineation of midnight meetings, secret arrests, plots, and counterplots, forged confessions, poison, and murder. These and many other exciting in cidents are to be found in this tale, at the con clusion of which, however, virtue is happily tri umphant and vice satisfactorily defeated, accord ing to the most approved notions of poetical jus tice. The writer, as usual, displays great ability in sustaining the interest of the tale ; and to the readers who admire this description of romance, the perusal of " The Star Chamber" will give much pleasure. Walter Hurst ; or, Early Struggles at the Bar. By Herbert Greville Pelham. 2 vols. Rout ledge. This is a very interesting story of the struggles and trials of an energetic and talented youth, who by patience, perseverance, and courage won his way to the highest judicial honours. From being a poor and houseless boy, wandering in the streets, he passed to a place of eminence among the learned of the land. The several scenes iu which he had to enact a part during his momentous life are very ably described, and the family of the Siuclairs forms an agreeable episode in the narrative. There are many painful circumstances mentioned in the course of the accounts before us, but it is gratifying to see such men as Sneak and Double meet with retribu tion for their crimes. In the last portion of the story the hero makes his first speech in the House of Commons, and produces a great effect by his splendid powers of oratory. A questio❑ was about to be decided which woul I involve the honour of many present if they ace lid 0 it. Ai a few nights before they had been against what they n ).v were going to sanction, in order to please the Minister, Walter Hurst rose and adjured the waverers by the memory of their noble names to refrain from the sacrifice of principle they were about to make for party. " And where are these, your ancestors, my lords and gentlemen," he cried in a tone, at once loud, musical, and piercing, whielr- startled every member on his seat. "They are gone, I know, to the world of spirits, and their mantles have dropped upon you But think you that they no longer interest them selves with the affairs of this life ? From their seats of eternal glory they regard you at this.momeut, and await with anxious brows the results of this debate." The consequence of his forcible appeal to their honour and good faith, which no change of politics or turn of fortune should affect, was a strict adherence to the course before laid clown, and the eloquent advocate experienced a prouder satisfac tion than any worldly renown, riches, or place could have affordod, in the consciousness that his talents had been instrumental in saving the character of those who held so high a place in his country. On the result of his words it rested whether future his torians should have to record a blot on the page of political and Parliamentary transactions. In the last chapter we are shown the inevitable conclusi, , n of all earthly triumphs. The celebrated lawyer and accomplished orator is called away, and all that is left to be said of him is the ancient account, " He slept with his fathers." It is very likely many will be entertained by the perusal of this book. There is a great deal of thought evidenced throughout, and the general tenour of the style is attractive and interesting. COURT CIRCULAR. OSBORNE, MARCH 16. The Queen and Prince and royal family walked in the grounds at Osborne yesterday. Captain the Hon. J. Denman had the honour of dining with her Majesty. The Queen and Prince, with the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, Princess Helena, and Princess Louisa, embarked on board the royal yacht Fairy this morning at half-past ten, and proceeded to Spithead, to see the Neptune, 120 gun-ship, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Corry and Bulldog steam-sloop, got under weigh to join the Baltic fleet. The royal yacht accompanied the Neptune nearly to the Nab Light, and returned to Osborne at 20 minutes before 1 o'clock. The Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Fanny Howard and Lord James Murray, visited Frogmore yesterday. In the evening ber Royal Higone-s, at tended by Lady Fanny Howard and Lord James Mur ray, honoured the Princess's Theatre with her presence. A deputation, consisting of Mr. Sergeant Manning, Q.A.S., Mr. Sergeant Jones, Mr. Sergeant Clarke, and Mr. Pollock, had an interview with Vlscount Palmer ston yesterday, at. the Home-office. A deputation from the Glasgow Committee of the National Educational Association had an interview with Lord John Russell yesterday, on the subject of the Lord Advocate's Education Bill for Scotland. The deputa tion consisted of the Rev. Dr. Beattie, Rev. Dr. Taylor, Professor Eadie, Messrs. David Anderson, John Hen derson, and J. H. Young, and was accompanied by the Hon. Arthur Kinnaird, M.P., and Mr. John M'Gre gor, M.P. The Rev. Andrew Murray, jun., of Bloomfontein, South Alf ca., and Dr. A. J. Fraser (late 73.1 Regiment), of Orange River Sovereignty, South Africa, bad an in terview with the Duke of Newcastle yesterday, at the Colonial office. A deputation on behalf of the London Reformatory for Adult Male Criminals, in Great Smith-street, West minster, consisting of the Earl of Shaftesbury, Mr. Carter Wood, Lieut. Coode, R.N. ; Mr. George Dan das, M.P. ; Mr. F. Crossley, M.P. ; the Rev. Charles Hume, Captain Donatus O'Brien, Mr. W. F. S. Shep herd, Mr. G. F. White, Rev. A.. Jones, and Rev. R. Malone, with Mr. Nash, governor of the institution, had an interview with Viscount Palmerston. The Cathedral Commission met yesterday. Present — the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York, the Bishop of London, Sir John Patteson, the Rev. Dr. Wordsworth, the Hon. and Rev. H. Montagu Villiers, the Rev. Canon Selwyn, and Henry Kingscote, Esq. )secretary.) A deputation from the Oxford, Worcester, and Wol verbampton Railway Company had an interview with the Right Hon. E. Cardwell and Lord Stanley of Al derley yesterday at the Board of Trade. The deputa tion consisted of Colonel Rushout, M.P., chairman ; Mr. Parson, deputy chairman ; Mr. Thorp and Major Tynedale (directors) and Mr. Burchell (solicitor.) Mr. Thornely, M.P,, had an interview with Viscount Palmerston yesterday at the Hosse•office. FUNERAL OF THE MARQUIS OF LONDONDERRY. On Wednesday—the day preceding the funeral of the most noble the Marquis of Londonderry—the chapel at Wynyard was open to the public from twelve to three o'clock ; during that time several thousands of persons of all grades were admitted fo see the coffin, which lay in state in the chapel, Crowds of persons thronged the various roads leading to the mansion, entering by the South Lodge by a long, picturesque drive, and through the park, passing through the shrubbery plantation at a distance from the front of the mansion, arriving at the conservatory, through which admission was gained to the chapel by descending a winding staircase. At the entrance lodge, and at all the gates on the drive through the parks, were stationed servants in deep black with hatbands. Mutes were stationed at all the doors of en trance. Above the mansion the flag had been half lowered, and the windows darkened with black cloth on the side near the conservatory. Sadness and gloom brooded over the place ; the crowds of persons who thronged to pay the last tribute of respect to the de parted were mostly clad in mourning, and by their sor rowful demeanour seemed to feel the solemnity which the shades of the departed hero has spread over the place. On entering the chapel the scene was solemn and impressive. The many painted windows, partly ob scured with black cloth, shed a " dim religious light" upon the mournful pageant below : over the door was a hatch ment, containing the arms of the Londonderry and Vane families. On each side of the chapel were placed three massive gold candlesticks, each containing a wax taper. At the head of the bier was placed a cushion and a clustered plume on a platform raised, and covered with black cloth. On the bier was placed a pall, partly thrown back, exhibiting the coffin. On the head of which was placed a crimson velvet and gold cushion, supporting a marquis's coronet ; at the foot were placed the helmet and plume of the marquis as colo nel of the 2d Regiment of Life Guards, also his sword a►id sash—mute emblems of the brave soldier who lay sleeping beneath them, whose military prowess they had been instrumental in achieving. It was with this sword the [lonia and dashing soldier fought and captured a French officer who had ridden to the front of the British line in defiance. At the foot of the bier, and near the altar, the two executors of the deceased, Captain Wood and Vaudeieur Stewart, Esq. At the funeral yesterday all the shops and places of business were closed. His lordship was much and de hervedly respected by the inhabit cuts of the borough. TIIL ROYAL PANOPPICON. The vast Mcorish bui,ding which occupies the eastern side of Leicester-square, and respecting the purport of which there has been so much speculation and inquiry, is on the eve of being opened to the public —its secrets divulged, and its peaceful mission explained. In plan and object the Panopticon is something akin to the Polytechnic Institution. It aspires to be a school for the instruction of the community in matters scientific and artistic, to gratify the eye by the grace and variety of its resources, and at the same time afford the more solid benefits deducible from practical investigation in all the branches of knowledge connected with the ordinary pursuits of life. Though popular in aspect, the character of the instruction we believe will be of an elevated kind. The daily lectures will, of course, be suited to the tastes of miscellaneous assemblages ; but others are contemplated in which the public upon the payment of small fees may pass through elaborate courses of study, under the direction of lecturers of the highest standing. But the little hand book published by the oouncil describes more specifically the objects of the Panopticon, and the void which it is its mission to fill up. The writer of the introduction, in alluding to the insLitaitions of a lite rary and scientific nature already in existence, observes, that "some are encompassed with a degree of exclusive ness which prevents the full development of their powers and capabilities ; others, professing to perpetuate and extend a taste for purely intellectual enjoyment, appear frequently to wax lukewarm, and no longer pos sessing novelty, or the yet keener stimulus of example from kindred establishments, become indifferent to the hopes and expectations which their origin encouraged." To meet the exigencies of such a state of things as this, the Royal Panopticon of Science and Art has been in stituted. The Panopticon owes its origin to one individual, Mr. Edward Marmaduke Clarke, who, alive to the defi ciencies complained of above, not •nly conceived the idea of an entirely new institution, but succeeded in enlisting the co-operation of a number of influential in dividuals similarly influenced in opinion, who, in con junction with himself, took the necessary measures to secure certain privileges under Royal charter. This her Majesty was pleased to grant in February, 1850. The claims of Mr. Clarke to the honour of being the original projector and promoter of this association are expressly set forth in the charter to which her Majesty has placed her hand. This gentleman is now the managing director —an office to which he is no less entitled ori the score of past service during the gestation and initiatory progress of the institution, than on the score of wide and general experience in such matters. "In the year 1826, and at a very early period of his life, he was on the committee, and took an energetic part in the formation of the first tnecna,iies' institution established In the metropolis of his native c aintry—lreland. He occupied a prominent position at the science and art exhibition in the King's mews, now the site of the Royal Academy, in 1830. He was also lectorer at the Exhibition of Arts and Sciences at Edinburgh in 1839 and 1840 ; and lastly, he estab hake i the London Electrical Society, the early meetings of which were held at his residence." These are officially advanced as his credentials to the respon sible office which he no s holds. That he has well e.ar,•edl it cannot" be denied, and we trust he will be rewarded in wr nessing the fruition of the vast and costly experiment in which he is now so promi nently engaged, and which promises to be productive of so much practical good to the community at large. The enterprise which has been the foundation of this undertaking is strikingly manifested in the edifice itself, furnishing, as it d .es, a very fine specimen of the Sara cenic style of architecture, derived chiefly from the Al hambra and other remains of the Moorish rule in Spain. Here is a very interesting novelty to begin with, for the building presents us with a perfect reflex of the style in questi.m, planned upon an enormous scale, and carried out with a degree of elaboration which has evidently set cost at defiance. When the spectator passes from the dingy square through the elegant porch, and under the massive portcullis into the rotunda, his eye meets a structure that gratifies him at once by its elegant sta bility, its graceful grandeur, and its dazzling em bellishment. The guide-book claims for the rotun da that it is "the most splendid room ever ap propriated to scientific and artistic purposes." There is certainly nothing like it in England. The chamber towers up, supported by elegant tapering ilurnas, close upon a hundred feet, where a beautiful circular skylight terminates the view ; and round the dome are sixteen star-shaped lights. The roof, the mo.lem imitation of the blue sky, is fretted with a thousand golden stars ; and downwards the arches, pillars, and walls are gilt and coloured with that rich ness and effect that are now only beginning to be made familiar to the English by the genius of Mr. Owen Jones, and also, we may now say, of Mr. Lewis and Mr. Fisher, who have superintended and designed the decorations of this building. Immediately beneath the central light in the dome is an enamelled fountain, with a centre jet that can throw up its water to the very sky light, a hundred feet. It is surrounded by eight minor jets, each playing forty feet, and forming a dome of water playing round the central jet. The tesselation of this fountain is most elaborate and beautiful, and in sum mer time it will impart a delicious coolness to the building. " There are three galleries, the one over the other. Two traverse the circle of the building ; the third only occupies the western side. These galleries are occupied by stalls, after the fashion of the Great Exhibition, and in them numerous patentees present various processes in weaving, carving, lithography, distilling, turning, shipbuilding, &c. Here almost every process that adds to our comforts, or supplies us with the infinitude of in ventions cultivated society demands, may be seen, in their latest and most efficient state. _ Leading off the grand central chamber are several other apartments devoted to the purposes of the institu tion ; such as a laboratory, and the apparatus rooms, and two handsome theatres ; the one decorated with paintings for lectures connected with art and literature, and the other for scientific discourses and exemplifica tions. Toe first object that attracts attention is the monster electrical machine, constructed by Nlr. Clarke, the largest ver made. Its plate is 10 feet in diameter, and weighs about eighteen hundred weight. The brass pear-shaped conductor is 6 feet long, and respectively at each extremity 4 feet and 2 feet in diameter. The Leyden battery is of correspoding size, being composed of 24 glasses, each presenting 12 feet surface of tin foil. The next tjrand object is the magnificent organ built by Hill and Co. It is 48 feet high, 36 feet wide and 28 deep. It has 4,004 pipes and 7 bellows, worked by a steam-engine, 1 crescendo pedal, 10 composition pedals, 7 c!inplirs, a , id 60 stops. It far exceeds in tone and compass the great organs at York and Birmingham, and any in the metropolis. Photography has of course its repre-ientative, and you may either wend your way up the interminable stairs which lead to the domains of the artist, or avail your self of an ascending carriage which takes you by a coun terpoise process from the pavement of the rotunda, and deposits you quietly and gently in the regions a b ove . The private view yesterday was attended by persons of repute of all classes ; and the entire number who en tered from 12 to 4 was upwards of 8,000. The expres sion generally uttered was one of great satisfaction. The baud of the Orford Blues played several airs; and the mighty organ pealed forth its tones with great sweetness as well as power ' • and the building was pronounced to be well adapted for musical demonstrations. It may be truly said that the reality surpassed the expectation, and when got into perfect order, there can be no doubt it will become one of the most popular, as it is one of the most interesting of exhibitions. Amongst the persons of distinction present we noticed the following Lord John Russell, Lord Lyndhurst ; Earl of Mulgrave, and Earl Devon ; Viscount Camp den, Lord Cawdor, Sir George Hayter, Lord Cot tenham, Earl of Besborough, Earl Grey, Lord Dynevor, Lord Tenterden, Earl of Denbigh, Lord Newark, the Bishop of Lincoln, Duke of Argyll, Lord Seymour, Sir James Stephens, Lord Cranworth, Duke of Richmond, the Duchess of Sutherland, Lady Palmerston, Sir Emerson and Lady Tennent, Lord Ernest Bruce, Lady Raffles, Lord Palmerston, Viscount Brackley, Lord Holland, Ic., and also a great number of distinguished literary and scientific men. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 17,1854, BEVERLEY RACES. SHARE MARKETS. (THIS DAY.) LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS. (THIS DAY.) (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) ARRIVALS FOR THIS DAY'S RACES. BRITISH RAILWAYS. STEEPLECHASE.—MuItum-in-Parvo ' Stainforth, Black Knight, A. 8., Holderness, Tally-ho, Kalafat, Pirate, and Ling Cropper. Run at two. ENTRIES. SELLING HITADLE RACE.—Tulip, 30/. ; A. Y, aged, 801. ; Mixed-up, 30/. ; Friendless Boy, 5 yrs, 201. ; Lu cifer, 6 yrs, 301. Run at three. STAND STAKES.—The Twin, 6 yrs ; Criterion, 4 yrs ; Miss Chance, 4 yrs ; Smuggler Bill, aged ; Exhibition, 3 yrs ; Miss Fisher, 3 yrs ; Julius Csar, 3 yrs ; Friend less Boy, 5 yrs. Run at four. MARKET NEWS-(THIS DAY.) CORN EXCHANGE. The present week's arrival of English wheat up to our market, coastwise and by land carriage, has been very moderate. To-day the show of samples was larger than on this day se'nnight. Owing to the large imports from abroad, the demand for all kinds of wheat of home pro duce ruled heavy, and to effect sales lower prices must have been accepted. Foreign wheat, the show of which was large, moved off heavily, and most qualities were easier to purchase. Floating cargoes were very dull, and , drooping: Barley iiiet ;dull inquiry, at barely Monday's currency. The malt trade was very dull, but no actual change took place in prices. .. . . Oats ruled heavy, at late rates. Beans, peas, and flour commanded very little attention. Wheat. 2,320 ARRIVALS THIS WEEK. 1 Barley. I Malt. i 3,710 ! .2,380 English .. Irish .• • • Foreign .. Oats. Flour. 3,080 910 5,290 7,270 6,870 sks 12,170 brl 2,340 I SMITHFIELD. The supply of beasts in to-day's market was seasonably good. All breeds were dull in sale, at barely Monday's prices. Amongst the foreign stock were 180 oxen from Spain. Sheep, numbers of which were limited, moved off slowly. In the quotations we have no alteration to notice. Lambs sold at from 6s to 6s 8d per 81bs. Calves and pigs met a slow inquiry, at former terms. Mulch cows were dull, at from 141. to 191. each, including their imall calf. Per Slbs to sink the offals s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Interior Beasts.... 3 oto 3 2 Prime Southdown 4 8 410 Second quality.... 3 4 3 6 Large crse. calves 4 6 5 2 Prime large oxen 3 8 4 0 Prime small d 0... 5 4 5 8 Prime Scots, (Ste. 4 2 4 4 Large hogs 3 0 4 2 Inferior Sheep ...3 2 3 6 Small porkers 4 4 410 iccoud quality ...3 8 4 2 Sucklingcalves ..22 0 29 0 Prime crse.-wlled.4 4 4 6 Quarter old pigs 21 0 27 0 TOTAL SUPPLY. iieasts ..............•• .. 1,075 ifle , P • •• •• ..•• .3,000 • :alves .........•• ••• 130 Pius ..•• ....•••• •• •• ••.. 360 RAILWAYS. 'Aberdeen . Nottng. Bost. and Easter. Belfast & Ballymena. ,Binning. Wolverh & Stour Valley Birkenhd. Lancsh & Cheshire Junct Do. Chesh. & Birk., £5O and £25 Cons. Do., £2O ' Blyth & Tyne original, .£25 (issd. at £45) Bristol and Exeter Caledonian Chester & Holyhead. Cork and Bandon Cork, Black, & Pass Corn wo Crieff Junc:,!.on Dublin&BelfastJunc Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction IDo. New East Auglhn Do., (.£lB E & H)... Eastern Counties_ _ Eastern Union, A Stock.... ...... ' Do., B. Stock - Do., New A....,, East Lancashire Edinbure &Glasgow Minh. and Peebles Edin. Prth. & Dundee Forth & Clyde June, Glasgow & S. Western Great Northern Stk. Do., A. Stock Do., B. Stock Gt. Sth. &West.(lre.) Great Western Irish South-Eastern Lancaster & Carlisle Do., Thirds Do. New Thirds Laneash. andlrorksh. Do., Fifths D 1., Wst. Riding Un, Leeds Northern Liv.Crsby.&Southpt London & Blackwall Loud. Tilb. & Sthend. Loud. Bright & S. Cst. Loud, and N. Westn. Do. Fifths Do.lo/. Sh., M&B 0 Do. Eighths London and S. Westn Do., £5O Do., £4O Lndudrry& Col eraiue Lndudrry. & Ennisk. Aanch.Shef. & Lineln Do., Man. & Lin. Un Midland Do. Birmng. & Derby Midld. G. West. (Irc) Do. Half Shares Newcastle & Carlisle Newmarket Do. , Bury Extension. Nwpt.Aberg. & lirfd. Newry & Enniskillen Newry Warrenpoint and Rostrevor. Norfolk Northu.Counties Un North British North Devon, No. 1 Do., No. 2 Do., 1 A Deferred Do., B Guaranteed North London Do. New £lO N.&S.Wstrn.,Hamp stead, and City Jn North Staffordshire North Western N. & S. Westrn. June Nuneaton, Hinckley, and Leicester Dxford, Worcester, & Wolverhampton Portsmouth Scottish Central Scottish Mir' land ihrewsbury &Biting Do. L. & N. Webterr, Guaranteed Si cOk :Threwsby. & flerefd Shrewsby. & Chaste; (N. W. Min ;., Do. Halveso. s Do. Oswesti7 3hropshire Union Do. A, B, C,& D,fully paid up at per cent South Devon South Eastern South Wales S. Yrksh. dti Riv. Do Staines, Wok. &Wol Stockton & Darling. ,Stockton & Hartlepl Taff Vale Do. £lO shares. Do. Pref., No. 1 Thames Haven Doel: and Railway Vale of Neath Waterfd. & Kilkenny Waterford&Limerick West Cornwall West End of London and Crystal Palace West London Wimbledn & Croydon' York Newctl.&Berw. Do. Extensions Do. G.N. E. Purchase York & N. Midland PREFERENC .I.berd.een . Do. No. 2, 7 p. C. - -- - Blyth and Tyne 10 per c. pref. (issd. at 500 Bris. & Ex. 4 p. c. St. Do. 4 p. c. Shares ... Caledonian £lO ...... Chester & Holyhead Guar. 5i per cent... Cork &Bandons4p.e. Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction ...... EastAnglian (£3lOB 6 per cent Do. (£5) 7 per cent. Do. (.£7 17s) 7 p. c. Eastern Counties Ex tension, 5 P.C. No.l r Do. No. 2 Do. New 6 p. c. St Eastern Union, Scrip Guar. 6 per cent Do. 51., 10 per cent. Do. 101. Debent:.Sis East Lancash. 6 p. ct East and West York.' shire Junc. Pref Edinb Prth. &Dundee 5i per cent. Glasgow & S. Western Guar. 5 per cent Great Northn. 5 p. c Do. 5 p. c. Redeem., at 10 p. c. prep... Do. 4 p. c. Gt.N. of Scot. Is, — ref Gt, Sonthii. &Westin. (Ireland) Eighths) ' , Do. 4 per C. Pref. Sh Westn. (Berks Hants Ex. 5 p. c) Do. cov. red. 41 p.c Do. con. red. 4 p. c Do. irred. 4 p. c Lan. &York. F. £2O Do. 6 p. c. Stock Leeds N. 6 p. c. No.l Do. Quarters, 1848 London and Brighton Guaranteed 5 p. c Do. Pref., 5 p. c. St. Do. Convertible, 5 p. c., 1852 Do. New Guar.6 p. c Lol. &N. W., Coy. do Nuneaton London & S. Western Con. Thirds Londonderry& Colin I Shares Londy. & Ennis. Shef., & Lin., Shares, No. 1. Do. New, £lO Do. £6....... . Harypt.& Carl. 4 p.c. Do. 4i per cent Do Consol.6 p.c.St Do. Consol. Bristol & I3irm. 6 per cent Do. Pref. 4i per cent' Norfolk Debenture ) Do. Pref. 4 p. c. Stock Do. 5 p. c. Est Do. 5i per ct. pre' Do. War. Val. 5 p. c North British North Staffordshire Oxford, Worcester, St, Wolverh.£ls, 6 p.c ' Teo Scot. Cent. , New Pre: Shrews. & Birm.N.G. Shrewsby. & Chester (Nor.W.Min), 8 p.c. Do. 5 per cent South Devon Ds. fixed, 4i per cent S. Eastern (Reading Anil.) of £1 Os. 6d. 'Do. 4Aper cent. S.Yorksh.4p.c.Gua , Stockton and Dar- lington, 4 per cent Do. do. do. Stockton and Hartle pool, guar. 5 p. c. till Ist July, 1856 Waterfd.StKilk.6p.c. York, Newcastle,and Berwick,4 p.c. Pref Do York&N. Midland H, and S. Parch Closing Prices yesterday. 21 - 23 4i - 41 81 9 12 —lO dis 16 18 6i —• seid 91 - 93 Mt - 55 15 - 16 9 • 11 i'i -: ii 7i - 8 ii = lit 12i - 121 36 40 24 - 26 61 - 63 58 - 60 2 . al -: 24 90i 9L 79 81 124 - 126 92 - 94 77 6 - 78 90 93 12 —l3 t* 11i 12bp 63t - 631 7e 12; - 13 8 84 par 98 —99 00i - 101 d Per_ 4d 78 80 11 10 It 10 9d 21 - 22 Ai -- 60 33 -- 34 i d par 5i 4id 2 2 6 8 46 48 3 3Ad 33 ... 34 li - li 6 i - 7t 52 - 5 5 i - il) 6 - 7* - 31 - 33 88 gó 54 - 56 58 - 60 55 60 3 2d 16 - 17 8 - B i, 12 - 13 3. - 1 - 3 15 62 63 :.'1 35 3 Icl 1 5 io 7= ii 2f 21 154 15f 4i - 5 24 26 5 - 6 6 - 7 68i 67i 8 8 a 44 4 d 47 -- 48 % SHARES. 99 -= ik 6 -- 6 4 -- 4A P -- lip -- lip 131 --13Axd 22A 23A •• • -- ad 3i - 3i lii :---116.11 104 —lo6xd 9 i 10xd 7 i -- Bixdl -- ad n 9B 100 90 -- 95 94 -_ 96 Id pal 135 17 •• . ... xd 2 i —2i 'di 1 4 l2} a 7 9 6 10 par ipul -. ". 131 —id xd 136 3 -1 ad • ad ..• ad • ad • - ad 100 - 102 4 . -- id' 16i -- 17 10 -10 i 12 -- 14 id 1 1 23i -- 24 100 -- 102 17 -- 19 2 = I .dl 90 93xd 3 -4 xd 1 ad Shr. Paid. RAILWAY/. Leming Closing Prices Business Compans. yesterday. his day. 50 all Bedford and London & Bletchley.... N. West St. 100 Buckghamsh. L.&N.W 93 96 50 all Clydesdalac. Caledon 48 SO St. 100 E. Lincoln gr. 6 per cent. Gt.Nrthn. 25 all Glas. Barr. & Oaldonian. Neils. Direct ••• ••• 25 all Do. New_ 'Do ••• 25 all Glstr.dt Dn - .11 . Gt. Westn 28 30xcl 100 all Hrtlpl. Dk. & Ik. New. Railway & Berw. 50 all Hull & Selby V. &NM 102 104 25 all Do. Shares. Do 5O —52 12 All Do. Shares. D 0... 25 —26 131 all Lon.&Greenw S. Eastern 13 —13 i 20 all Do.Preferenc , Do 24i —251 20 100 Lowestoft gr. 4 per cent. Norfolk — x 20 i.OO Do. 6 per et. 5i all ?danch. Bxtn. and Matlock & Midld. 2i 2i 50 all Middlesbro' & itekton Redcar Darlingt. x d 100 all Midld.Bradfd yfidland.. 95 97xd x d 50 all Northern and Easternsp.c. E. Count. 56 58xd a d 60 -e Do. 6 per et. D 0......... - - xd a d 50 all Do. Fixeds pa Do . .. ad a d 25 all Prest. &Wyre L. &NAV &Ln&Yl 12i 12 Do. Shares. Jo ... St. 100 Roystn.&Hit. GtNorthri —ad St. 100 Do.Shepth.StDo 25 1813 Shef•Roth.and Laneash& Gooleg.sp.c. Yorksh. 12 9i S. Staffordsh. 11.31 Clean 24 ixd 50 all WearValleygr Stockt. & 6 per cent._ Darlingt. xd 25 all Do Do. 30 St. 100 Wilts&Somrst tttWestu. 94 96 MINES, Agua Fria Anglo Austrin. Gold Anglo Californian Australasian Australian Australian Cordillera, Australian Freehold Ave Maria 1i —2l p d— id 1 id li -9 —ll id 7 9 Baden (Gd. Duchy of ) Blaenarvon Ir. St Coal isritish Austrin. Gold , British Iron Brazilian Imp. (issue) at £5 pm Do. Cocaes & Cuiacla Do. St. John Del Rey Carson's Creek 4 5 1i 24 31 33 i— i d Clarendon Con. Min. Co. of Jamaica Cobre Copper Colonial Gold 41 - 43 if -lAp 11 - 13 55 - 65 3 - 5p Co piapo Copper Min. of Eng Do. Pref. 7, p. cent, English and Austrin Copper Smeltg. Co General li - 2i Great Nugge;,Vein Do. Registered Great Polgooth Liberty Linares i.oud.drCaliforn.Gold i 1 14 li i i d 1i 12 I Quartz Crush. Co. viariquita Wexican&S.Amerien, New Grans? 1 6 - 6. i - i New Linares Mining and Smelting Co Nouveau Pon:;giba ad Silver Lead MM. 4. Smelt Port Philip Quartz Rock Rhymney Iron Do. New 1 15 17 d l 29 31 ip 8 10 3 4 ! d 4 24 3 4 —4d I d g 6 Santiago de Cuba . south Australian . Tin Croft all all all all 12s. United Mexie Waller West Granada West Mariposa Worthing Mining 01 Australia Yuba i -- i FOREIGN. 10 7 Antwerp&Rotterdam 31 3 d 5 3 Belgian Eastn. June. 1 4 ' 20 8 Beziers to Graissessac 4i —36 d 20 2s. Bombay, Baroda, and Central Inclia,Scrip I p pm . . . . Central of Italy 20 all Jharleroi & Ercinei n ::• 176 all Demerara 20 14 Dijon andßesancon .. . p 20 8 Dutch Rhenish 34 3d 4f 20 all East Indian 26 3_p 20 2 Do. Extension 1 6 5 all Gt. Indian Peninsula a p 20 10 Gd. Junct. of Franc , 25 10 Grd Trunk of Canad _ ...d 100 30 Do. Debentures — 36 100 all Do. do. 6 4 d 20 10 Gt. Central of France 24 —2i d 201 all Gt. Western of Canada Shares 22 23 Do. Bands (Ist is.)'s7 9 llp . . iN 156 Hamilton & Toronto 1.6 —2 p 100 all Do. 6 per cent. 20 5 Lake Oonst. & Basle 5 all Lucca & Pistoja 5 p.c. pref — die 20 15 Luxembourg 6 7 10 10 Do. (Railway) 4t 4i 5 2 Do. Pref 1 14 5 3 Do. (Canal) 1 16 10 5 Do. 6p. ct. pref 1 d 20 8 Lyons and Geneva 20 12 Lyons & Mediterran 20 10 Madras - 33a 33i Maria Antonia 10 all Do. do. New 20 2 Melbourne Dk. &Ry 20 all Namur & Liege (with interest) 7 74 7a 20 all Do. (ex interest) — 16 all Northern of France 296 —29 i Do. 201. 3 p. c Ws. 20 all (fmy.B.& Ams.Shs ) 10 all NorwegianTrunkPref 20 10 Paris and Lyons 124 12tp 40 all Ditto Bonds 10 all Paris and Orleans.... 43 —45 20 all Paris and Rouen 34 36 20 all Paris and Strasbourg 28a .-28 i 20 10 ParisCaen & Cherbrg _ pm 104 10i Quebec & Richmond ... d 20 all ~touen and Havre 20 9 Royal Danish ld par 5 2 Royal Sweo 20 all Sambre and Meuse 8 86 ... 6 Do. 56 p. cent. Pref 20 6 Southern of France —pm 20 6 St. Andrew's and Quebec (A) 8i all West Flanders 3 - 44 10 all Do s: l t per c. Pref d 20 10 Western of France 3 —36 p 10 7 West. of Switzerland ... d 20 2 Wiesbaden 20 15 Zealand MISCELLANEOUS 5 all .übin Coal and Iron 25 171 Australian Agricult. 39 41 20 14 Xustralsn.Pcific.Mail 10 8 Australn. Royal Mail 10 4 Berlin Water Works 50 384 3rit. American Land 75 77 5 1 Brit. & Coln. Smeltg. and Reduction Co _ 100 321 Canada 75 80 77 5 5 Crystal Palace 64 —61 an ad 4 2 Crystal Pal. of France 20 3 Eastern Steal — 25 20 ElectritTelegraph(A) 174 184 25 all Do. (B) 1 1 Electric Toleg. of Ir — 15 14 Gen. Steam Navigat — 20 18 General Screw Steam 20 7:3 Irish Beetroot Sugar 20 10 Magdalena St. Navig. 1 all Nat. Pat. Steam Fue: 10 3 Netherlands Land._ 1 3 2 1 N. S. W. Coal & Inter. Steam Navigat. Co. 1 all N. B. Australasian 1 14xd 1 1 Do. New — 20 10 Nrth.ofEuropeSteam 5 all Peel Rr. Ld. & Minrl. 4 4d 50 all Peninsular& Oriental 50 30 Do. Do. ... 2 all Portland Iron Co I 1p 100 60 Royal Mail Stem 1 all Scot. Austral. Invest 11 lip 25 25 South Austral. Land 36 38 1 all Submar. Telegraph ]i all Do. Registered. 4 1 100 284 Van Diemen's Land 124 134 JOINT-STOCK BANKS. 40 all Australasia 7B 80 804 40 all British Colonial Bank and Loan Company 50 all British N. American 64 25 5 Chartd. Bank of Asia 14 Old 20 2 Clutd. Bnk. of India, Australia, & China 14 i d 100 25 Colonial . 174 18 100 20 4)ommercial of Lend 20 10 English Scottish and Australian 34 —34 d 20 15 Loud. Chart. Bk. of Australia ll ld 50 20 London and County 50 10 London Joint Stock • 100 20 Loud. & Westminster 100 35 National Provincial of England 20 10 Do. New — . . 50 '22. National of Ireland -20 all - New South Wales 39 41.xd 25 all Drieotal 'ark of Corporation. 46 47 25 5 Do. New ..• 100 25 Provinc" , tl of Ireland 10 all Do. New ..• 5 1 Royal Australn.Bkg. & Gold luip Co -. 25 all South Australia 4O 42 25 all Union of Australia-. 67 68 24 Do. New 7 74 50 10 iJuion of Londor ••• SCOTTISH CENTRAL RAILi week ending March 12, 1854.. Corresponding week last year.. rA.Y.—Traffic return for the £2,757 I 9 2,432 10 8t 32,780 FOREIGN RIPPLY, 8ea5t5......... •• -• , 344 (elves..... .............. 0 PlO.. . . . NEWGATE AND LE ADENHALL. Each kind of meat sold heavily at this day's market, on the following terms : Per 81bs by the carcase. s. d. s. d. Beef, inferior 2 10 3 2 Do., middling 3 4 3 6 Do., prime large 3 8 3 10 Do., do. small 3lO 4 0 Pork, large 3 4 4 2 s. d. s. d. Mutton, Inferior 2 10 3 4 Do., middling 3 6 4 0 Do., prime 4 2 4 4 Veal 4 0 5 4 , Pork, small 4 4 4 10 BOROUGH HOP. On the whole a fair business is doing in our market, at last week's currency. The imports are 97 bales from Ostend, and 27 ditto from Hamburgh. The prices are— Mid and East Keut pockets, 6/. lOs to 121. Os ; Weald of Kent ditto, 61. Os to 71. Os ; Sussex ditto, 51. 12s to 61. lOs per cwt. COLONIAL. SUGAR.—In West India not much has been done, and prices have been barely supported. Barbadoes, of the new crop, sold at 33s 6d to 37s for low and mid, and at 37s 6d to 39s for good and fine. Jamaica good grocery brought 37s 6d, good brown 34s 355. Demerara good brown 33s to 345, crystalised good 37s 6d td 38s. East India— Mauritius has declined about 6d, good to very fine yellow selling at 36s to 38s 6d, low to mid at 29s to 30s 6d, low dark at 27s 6(1 to 28s, crystalised low to fine white at 41s 6d to 43s 6d, superior yellow and low white bold grain at 39s to 41s, and low mid yellow syrupy at 35s to 35s 6d per cwt. Ben gal went steadily at 38s 6d to 40s Cd for good mid to fine white ; Cossipore was taken in at 41s 6d ; Dhobah 40s 6d; fine Date at 36s to 36s 6d, and ord•brown at 28s 6d ; Madras good brown to low yellow sold at 28s to 30s. Foreign— Yellow Havannah, privately, has been sold at 35s 6d, and a cargo of fine yellow for Trieste at 26s for No. 16, but pub licly good and fair flouettes were taken in at 40s to 42s for sound washed, and brought 34s to 38s 6d. Porto Rico obtained full rates, viz., 40s 6d. to 44s for fine and very fine white, and 398 to 40s for good. Bahia went rather cheaper, selling at 31s 6d to 34s for low to good. Refined has been dull, brown lumps being 445, and grocery 44s 6d to 50s. COFFEE.—Native Ceylon has been quiet. Good and very good ord brought 475. Plantation sold at 60s for mid bold mixed, at 56s for small, at 41s to 54s for triage, at 53s 6d to 56s for fine and fine fine ord, at 570 to 61s for low mid to good mid bold coloury, and at 68s to 69s for pea berry. Jamaica good and fine ord pale realised 47s 6d to 51s, and low mid coloury 565. Alexandria mocha was taken in at 65s per cwt. RICE.—A. decline of 6d to 9d per cwt has taken place. Bengal sold at 13s 6d to 14s for mid : good was taken in at 15s. Madras was taken at 13s 6d for mid pinky, but pri vately good pinky, short prompt, brought 12s 6d. SPlCES.—Pimento is cheaper ; ord to good ord grey sell ing at 6d to Bid, and mid to good was taken in at 6#d to 6 A mid Singapore have brought 2s 7d, and nutmegs 2s 9d to 2s 10,1 for mid, and 2s 4d for small. White pepper has receded id ; Singapore mid has been sold at 10$d to id ; and ord dingy at 90 to 9d. Black Malabar brought 5d to 34d for half heavy and heavy ; and Singapore good and mid at sid to 5Ad. Cloves are rather lower; mid dark to good hold bright at 6id to 6sd. COCOA —This article has been dull. Trinidad ord to good and grey sold at 31s 6d to 335, and fine red Bahia at 261 6.1 per cwt. RUM.—The market is firmer, Demerara being in de mand. - COCHINEAL. —Small and mid &A Lima silvers realised 4s hi to 4s 3d, manufactured bla.ks 4s 3d to 48 4d, and Teneriffe silver 4s 2d. SALTPETRE. - Bengal, afloat, has been sold privately, but the rates are not, known. TEA.—At auction 22,315 packages passed, of which 2,500 were sold, the remainder being principally with drawn, the importers being unwilling to submit to lower rates. COTTON.—This article is without alteration. TALLow.—The market is heavy. P.Y.C. is 64s 3d per cwt on the spot. GREEN FRUIT.—The demand continues good, and keeps pace with arrivals. Three cargoes oranges from St. Michael's sold by Keeling and Hunt, sustained the advance obtained last week. Seville sours are lOs per chest higher, the quantity imported being inadequate to the demand. Lemons have improved in price. More inquiry for nuts, which is usually the case previous to the Easter holidays. LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.) LONDON, March 17.—Wind this day at Noon, N.N.W. ; light breeze, and fine; clear, dry weather. Th e Mercury has risen. COWES, March 16.—Wind, W.S.W. Arrived—Franklin (s), from Havre, and sailed for New York. OFF THE WIGHT, March 16.—Warrior, from Jamaica. PORTSMOUTH, March 16.—Wind. W.N. W.. Arrived— H.M.S. Penelope, from Sierra Leone and Madeira ; H.M.S. Cruizer, Gibraltar. Sailed—H.M.S. Neptune, for the Baltic ; H.M.S. Bulldog, do.—The Oriental, from London to Port Philip, which arrived here yesterday, leaky, must discharge part of cargo. FALMOUTH, March 16.—Wind, W. Arrived—Jacoba Johanna, from Marseilles ; Terpsichore, do. ; Esther, Liverpool, for Gibralta, to stop a leak. TORBAY, March 16.—Wind, W.N.W. Arrived—Ca therina Isabella, from Rotterdam, for Lisbon ; Elizabeth, Trieste ; Mary, London, for Gambia. SUNDERLAND, March 16. —Wind, S.W. Arrived — Meander, from Honfleur. Sailed— Lamorna, for Malta. HULL, March 16.—Wind, W. Arrived—Hercules, from Cuxhaven ; Murray, Alkmaar. Sailed—Duna, for Malta. BRIDLINGTON, March 16.—Wind, S.S.W. Arrived — Isabella, London, with stern split, loss of bowsprit, and other damage, having been in contact with a barque in the Thames. SALECOMBE, March 16.—Wind, W.S.W. Arrived— Cynosure, Gulf of Arta. QUEENSTOWN, March 15.—Wind, S. ; blowing a gale. Arrived—lron Duke, from the Mauritius ; Flora, General Wiltshire, Fanny Mitcheson, and Lord Metcalfe, all from Callao ; Peru, Manzanillo. ; Ada Mary, Bristol, for the coast of Africa. RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 13.—The Fanny, from Callao to the United States, put in here Feb. 9, leaky, has been surveyed and recommended to di,charge part of her cargo to discover and stop the same. PERNAMBUCO, Feb. 21. The Countess of Zetland, from London to the Cape of Good Hope, which put into Paraiba previous Feb. 16, leaky, is discharging her cargo, and at present nothing is damaged. ST. VINCENT (Cape de Verd Island), March 2.--The Record, from Madeira to Demerara, with emigrants, has been totally lost on the coast of St. Antonio ; crew and passengers saved. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) LIVERPOOL, Friday, 10.15 a.m. Wind, W.N.W.; moderate, and fine. There is no intelligence of the mail steamer Ratio from New York, ❑ow two clays overdue. Arrived—Union, from Jaffa. Off the Port—City of Manchester, steamer from Phila delphia ; Charles Brownell, Valparaiso ; Liverpool and Catherine, ships ; Walton, barque; and Ocean Breeze, brig. The Phoenix, for Catania, has put back through stress of weather; sailed 12th. Sailed—Admiral Boxer, for Melbourne; Henry Clay and Underwriter, New York. The screw steamer La Plata, for the Brazils, which put into Holyhead on Sunday with machinery damaged, sailed for her destination yesterday. (BY SUBMARINE AND EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Friday, 9.50 a.m. Wind, Northerly ; tide, near low water ; fine. Arrived—Aurora, from Seville ; Wilberforce, Cartba. gene ; Leon, Gravelines ; Ebssandra, St. Michael's ; steamer; Hamburg. Sailed—Tiger, steamer, for Hamburg; Brant, Launces ton; Alar, steamer, Dunkirk; City of Paris, steamer, Boulogne. DEAL, Friday Morning, 9 a.m. Wind, N., fresh and fine. Passed—lsis for Sydney; Reva, St. Kitts ; Great Bri tain, Montreal; Enchantress, Cardiff; Segunda Eugenio, Cardiff; Thetis, New Zealand ; Albatross, Calcutta ; Jo seph Weir, Mauritius—all from London. Anchored—Catherine Pemberton, from London for Launceston. Sailed—The Chowringhee, Childe Harold, Old Hickory, Giffrard, Domitia, Sylph, and Amazon, with the whole of the outward bound. !Paid.' 1 100 50 50 20 20 25 25 18 20 St. Business done this day. 221 2 54 i i 12i xd 90i 80 SP 77 „ 90 I 63 iiiiixd 98i 1001 i li dis 661 'II 1.14 I, 8 PI 47i ~ i pm Pin x d d 9i 10 as die id 100 x d all all all all all 13.5 246 30 20 1 1 1 10 1 1 11 g ~ s RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. SOUTH-EASTERN. The half-yearly meeting of the proprietors in this com pany was held yesterday, at the Bridge-house Hotel—Mr. James M`Gregor, M.P., the chairman of the board of direc tors, presiding. The anticipated contest for the vacant seats at the board induced a very large attendance of shareholders, and their feelings being consequently excited, the chairman and directors on entering were received with mingled hisses and cheers. The usual formalities having been observed, the report, which has already been published in the Sun, was taken as read. The CHAIRMAN then said he should occupy the time of the proprietors on this occasion but very briefly. In re ference to the agitation which had lately prevailed amongst them, he did not think it necessary to do more than state that the company never was so largely represented as it was now in that room. (Cheers.) The amount of stock represented personally, or by proxies, was 4,769,0001. out of 7,300,0001., and therefore he thought they would all be prepared to hold that the decision of a majority of proprie tors so assembled must be final and conclusive. (Hear, hear.) His honourable colleagues, whose period of office had expired, had withdrawn from presenting themselves, as they wished there might not be any necessity for going to a division. (Loud cheers.) He had received letters from Mr. Smale and Mr. Brown, in which they said that, having seen how amply and conclusively the voice of the proprietors had been pronounced, they bowed to their decision, and cheerfully concurred in the result so obtained. (Oh, and cheers.) He had had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Forster, but Sir J. Campbell and Mr. Mellor he did not know. With respect to the latter gentleman, as a matter of business, he felt bound to mention that a question arose whether Mr. Mellor was properly qualified to take a seat at the board. Mr. MELLOR—Perhaps it will save time if I state at once that I have no intention of offering myself. The CHAIRMAN added that if Mx. Mellor had been pro posed, the question must have been put, whether he was beneficially interested to the amount of 6001. in the stock of the company which stood in his name. Having disposed then of all points of difference—of all points except those in which the views of the directors and proprietors were united—he thought he might fairly congratulate them upon the present condition of the company with regard to traffic receipts and profits. (Murmurs of impatience.) He was quite aware there were subjects more prominent in their view at this moment than the details of statistics with which he had occasionally troubled them, but he could not help remarking that the position of the company never looked so promising as now. The receipts, which were 514,0001. in 1850, had increased to 848,0001. in 1853, and the mileage receipts, which upon 199 miles in 1850 were 2,5911., had increased to 2,9241. on 290 miles in the last year. (Cheers.) He could only say that if Parliament confirmed their title to their own property, and gave them possession of it upon a sure and safe foundation, he should be as sanguine as ever in the expectation that they would soon reap the reward of their labours, especially under the management appointed by such an overwhelming amount of property at this meeting. (Loud cheers.) With these few remarks he should move that the report of the direc- tors be received and adopted. Mr. RENSHAW (deputy chairman) seconded the motion. Mr. MELLOR observed that, as there was a question whether a trustee was qualified to sit as a director, it had been decided that rather than jeopardise the movement of the shareholders he should retire, and at the proper time he should propose another gentleman in his place. (Cheers.) Mr. G. SMITH wished to put a question to the candi dates. The CHAIRMAN—Is there any opposition to the report ? (No, no.) Mr. HAMILTON—I advise the meeting to listen to no one who comes here with the price of his apostasy in his pocket. Mr. SMITH thought it his duty to ask a question of the candidates as to their future policy with regard to the Bromley extension. The CHAIRMAN must rule the hon. proprietor to be out of order. The directors did not propose agitating that ques tion on this occasion. The gentlemen now elected to the board were bound to scrutinise it to the utmost, and it would be, therefore, more desirable to submit it on a future day to the proprietors. (Hear, hear.) The motion was put and carried unanimously. The CHAIRMAN moved that a dividend at the rate of 12s. per 301. share, or at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum, be declared and made payable on the 10th April. Mr. HAMILTON complained that the directors had reduced the 501. shares to 301. shares, and this reduced his capital from 5,0001. to 3,0001. What would be thought of the Go vernment reducing the 3 p er C en t s . to the price at which they were issued ? It was a most unfair thing to the share holders, and gave a fallacious amount as the amount of divi dend. (Hear.) The CHAIRMAN stated that the original shares were issued at 501. each, but a considerable amount was not paid up at all. Shares were subsequently issued at 251., then at 301., then at 331., and last of all at 301., an d th e w h o l e were con solidated at 301., which was as nearly as possible the cash capital received by the company. (Hear.) Mr. HOYES said the London and North-Western and other companies sent out their dividends within a week of their meetings. Why was it that the dividend here was not payable until the 10th April ? The CHAIRMAN said that if the directors had been in a position to be certain that a dividend of 12s. would be de clared, they could no doubt have had the warrants ready now. But there was some finance in the matter, as they would find from the succeeding resolutions. Certain things must be done. The proprietors had authorised certain new works, and no capital had been raised, and the money used must be replaced and provided by resolution of this meet ing. Mr. HOYES thought three weeks' delay too much. The CHAIRMAN hoped it would be the last time it would occur; and that one effect of a united board would be, that they might feel confident the dividend they proposed would be the dividend declared. A PROPRIETOR wished to know if he was to understand that the money for the dividend had been appropriated to another purpose? The CHAIRMAN said that was so, but it would be forth coming in April. The resolution was then agreed to. The CHAIRMAN then moved the election of Mr. Matthew Forster as a director, in the place of Mr. Ironsides. Mr. DILLON seconded the motion, which he had come there prepared to propose. Having been requested to speak, and, in some degree, to art, on the part of a large body of shareholders, it would have been his painful task, but for the peculiar position in which they had been placed by the statement made by the chairman, to have arraigned some of the past proceedings of the board, and to have asked for some explanations. It was, therefore, with the greatest pleasure that he bore his humble testimony to the very generous and very handsome manner in which the directors had acted ; and admitted that the course which had been taken somewhat unmanned him, and was calcu lated to raise a suspicion whether he and others might not have been mistaken in the unfavourable opinions they had formed. He could vouch for the ability and integrity of Mr. Forster, and he hoped that the proceedings of to-day would be the beginning of a united board, whose energies would be devoted, and successfully devoted, to the promo tion of the interests of the company. Mr. MAXWELL, while he acknowledged the propriety of the conduct of the chairman and directors to-day, must say he should have thought it strange indeed if they had per ' severed upon the course in which they had set out. He had had some experience in railway management, and in the working of the proxy system as connected with public companies, and he must say that he had never yet seen a proxy that was ordered by a board of directors to be sent out with the name of the chairman in it. (Hear.) He had seen proxies in which blanks were left with an intimation to the shareholders that they might fill them up as they thought fit, but in the instance to which he was alluding the name of James Macgregor had a prominent place, and although an intimation was given at the bottom of the paper that it might be struck out, there were thousands of shareholders who would not take the trouble to alter it. The question for the decision of the meeting was one to which the railway world looked with considerable interest. It was whether the servants, and some of them the paid servants, of the company were to be its masters ; and whether' the proprietors were to be entirely denuded of their property. They had had a severe struggle, and they had been so far successful in teaching the directors and the railway world a useful lesson ; but they must not stop here, they must go a great deal further before the matter would be done with. (Hear.) Mr M'LAREN understood that Mr. Forster represented preference stock only, and, if so, he should submit that he had no interest whatever in common with the original shareholders, and was therefore not a proper person to have a seat at the board. (Hear, hear, oh, oh, and great confusion.) The CHAIRMAN said Mr.M`Laren had been misinformed. Mr. Forster was a duly qualified proprietor, which he would not be if he were a holder of preference stock only. Mr. M`LAREN called upon the secretary to produce the register, but the chairman decided the request was out of order ; and after a good deal of confusion the resolution for electing Mr. Forster was put and unanimously carried. Dr. BEATTIE proposed the election of Sir John Camp bell as a member of the board ; and the nomination was seconded by Mr. BELL, and also carried unanimously. Mr. MELLOR, who had been the third candidate for the direction, but with respect to whose qualification a ques tion had arisen—the stock standing in his name being held by him as a trustee—withdrew his own name, and pro posed to the meeting to elect Mr. Seymour Teulon, to whose fitness for the office, and opportunities of serving the interests of the company, he bore the strongest testimony. Mr. HOYES, without at all objecting to Mr. Teulon, thought it exceedingly important that the proprietors should have some timely notice as to who were to be pro posed for the office of auditor or director. The names of the other gentlemen had been before them for some time : but Mr. Teulon was proposed at the eleventh hour, and if this were drawn into a precedent, they might find them selves compelled on some future occasion to adopt a can didate of whom they knew little or nothing. A resolution had been passed some time ago, which had for its object to secure that proper notice should be given, and he wished to know whether the directors had done anything in pur suance of that resolution. The CHAIRMAN said the directors had introduced a clause into a bill which the company was passing through Parliament, with a view to give effect to the wishes of the shareholders. That clause had passed, the committee, but the chairman of committees had struck it out, upon the ground that if such a provision were to be adopted at all, it could only be in some general measure applying to all companies. The directors had then taken th e a d v i ce o f an em i ne nt counsel, as to the possibility of affecting t h e de sired object by a by-law, but had received an opinion to the effect that any measure of that kind would be wholly inoperative, and that it would still be in the power of any shareholder to prose a candidate at the last moment. Mr. Alderman SaLoatoNs, who spoke amid much confu sion, declared that he objected strongly to any gentleman being pitchforked on the company in a moment, to fill the important and responsible position of auditor or director. It was irregular, anti likely to be injurious. Mr. HAMILTON twitted Mr. Alderman Solomons with his connection with the East Kent, Reading, Guilford, and Reigate lines. Whereupon the alderman protested against any imputation of motives, and asked that his arguments might be answered. These encounters caused some confusion in the meeting, but the motion for electing Mr. Teulon was put and car ried, with only two or three dissentients. Mr. PARKER wished to call the attention of the meeting to the extraordinary expenditure which had been incurred in Parliamentary and legal proceedings. The chairman had first taken his seat at the board in 1844, and in 1845 had been promoted to the chair. From that period down to 1853 inclusive, a period of nine years, the legal and Parliamentary ex penses—exclusive of conveyancing, which had been invariably put into that mare magnum, that sea, that vortex into which railway directors invari ably contrived to throw everything which would not bear the light, and which they called " the land acconnt"—had been 479,7111. 7s. 11d. (Hear.) This gave an average of 55,3011. ss. 3d. per annum. He was an old share holder, and he had supported the chairman as long as he had been able, but he recollected the time when their accounts were presented in a very different form—when the solicitors' bills for general business, for Parliamentary business, and for conveyancing were all sep ara t e l y en t ere d. (Hear.) Since the honourable chairman had had the honour to fill his present position in the company, they had had no such statement. (Hear, hear.) At the time of Mr. Macgregor's election to the chairmanship the capital was 4,284,924 i., and the dividend ranged from 16s. to 17s. per share. Sufficient had been spent in the interval to raise the capital to upwards of eleven millions, and their dividend had fallen as low as 75., and was now 12s. per share. There never was a greater fallacy than the statement that their half-yearly earnings had been 4 per cent., for the account included 4,9801. re ceived from the steam-packet company up to July, 1853, which was not an earning of this company at all. (Hear, hear.) The chairman had spent, in round numbers, during the nine years he had occupied the chair, about a million per annum of capital, and the professional gentlemen had had, for legal and parliamentary expenses, about 1,000 gui neas per week. It would require at this rate about five years more to bring them to no dividend at all. (H ear .) They must keep down their law expenses—give no presents' either of money or plate— have no 7001. dinners at the Al bion—(hear)—elect their own directors as they had done to-day—and have no managing director at a salary of 3,000/. a-year. (Hear, hear.) If they wanted a manag ing director, let him be a servant of the company— let them pay their directors liberally, and, if they pleased, increase their number; but let them keep the control of their affairs in their own hands, and they would find their dividends increase, and the value of their property improve (Hear.) He should move that the half-yearly accounts should show under separate heads what legal expenses had been incurred ; that no account for law expens es o f a ny kind should be paid until it had been taxed ; that the sum of 2,0001. a year, hitherto paid to the chairman should cease—(hear, hear)—that the number of directors should be twelve—(no, no)--and that, instead of 3,2001., they should be paid 2,0001. a-year, to be divided among them in pro portion to their attendance. The CHAIRMAN said this was not the first occasion that Mr. Parker had called attention to the solicitors' bills. (Hear.) In 1847 he had pressed upon him (the chairman) the propriety of the directors employing him as a solicitor. (Hear, hear, and great laughter.) He had reiterated that request from time to time, down to the year 1849. (Hear, hear.) He (the chairman) had told him he had personally no authority. bitt promised to submit the matter to his colleagues. The board bad considered his application, and had come to the conclusion that it was not de sirable the legal business of the company should be divided. He must in justice say that the statements made by Mr. Parker were totally incorrect. (Hear) Of the solicitors who were in office at the time he became a director he de• sired to speak with proper respect ; but it had appeared to him that the legal bills coming in amounted to something . tremendous ; and without Mr. Parker's assistance, with the assistance only of his colleagues—(hear) —he had carried a resolution at the board that those bills should be taxed, and the result was that as much as 55,0001, had been taxed off. (Oh, hear, and cheers). He would never give up his independence to solicitors or anybody else ; since the time to which he had alluded they had had auditors and a pub lic accountant, and he altogether demurred to any charge of extravagance. (Hear, and oh, oh.) Any gentleman who knew anything of Parliamentary contests must be aware that they were very expensive. (Hear.) He should suggest that, having to-day elected gentlemen in whom they placed confidence, they should wait until these gen tlemen had had an opportunity of attending the meetings of the board and of making themselves acquainted with the position of the company before adopting such resolu tions as those which had just been proposed. He doubted whether taxing solicitors' bills while they remained on con fidential terms with the company was altogether a prudent Course. Mr. KEET seconded Mr. Parker's resolutions, and ex pressed his opinion that there had been lavish extravagan . c• and a want of p ro p er economy at the board. The i r sala ries alone were about 40,000/. a-year. He had invested 1,4001., the result of his exertions in business, in the shares of this company, and it was now reduced in value to about 5001. Mr. HOYES was sure these subjects would be dealt with by the directors, and suggested to Mr. Parker to withdraw his resolution. Mr. PARKER said, unless they came to a rote to-day with reference to the 2,030/. a-year to the chairman, it would go en for six months longer. He had no objection to withdraw the rest. Mr. M`LAREN, in justice to the chairman, called the attention of the meeting to the immense expenditure which had been caused by no fewer than forty-four oppo sition schemes that deeply affected their interests. He believed no other man in that room could have fought their battles or protected their property as Mr. Macgregor had done. (Hear, hear, and oh, oh.) Mr. J. WILSON strongly recommended the appointment of a chief manager, (not a director) at a salary of 5001. or 1,000 a-year. Mr. GREY said it would reflect disgrace on the proprie tors to make any attempt to rescind the resolution giving 2,0001. a-year to the Chairman. (No, no, and cheers). It was perfectly clear that at no distant day Mr. Macgregor must come to them for re-election, and that would be the time to make the proposition. Mr. MILO proposed an alternative course of proceeding. Let the vote be taken for six months, leaving the question open. (Cries of "No, no, settle it at once.") Ho was quite confident the presence of so large a number of share holders would be made the means of illiberal conduct towards a gentleman whose services he appreciated, and whose talents he had long admired. (Uproar.) Mr. SMITH had been long enough a shareholder to have been present when the gentlemen of the north came down like an avalanche to elect the chairman, and now they came with the same impetuosity, to decry him. (Hear, hear.) Some of the pretexts were very hollow. He had no sympathy with those who attempted by personal abuse to deprive the chairman of a position he had filled with immense talent and great rectitude. (Oh, oh, and cheers.) It was a most unfair course of proceeding, and he, for one, protested against it. (Cheers and uproar.) Mr. PARKER begged to withdraw the proposition. The CHAIRMAN thought he might have saved the time of the meeting if he had been allowed to say a few words. He could assure them in the most unqualified manner that the management would be carried on by the majority, and whatever arrangements were made would have his assist ance. It was not his wish to remain in any office connected with the company, except so long as his sense of duty in duced him to believe ho was promoting their interests. It was his wish to promote the interests of the company, and to support its management in the constitutional form by a majority. (Cheers.) He desired to clear himself from the charge of interested motives having governed his conduct. He joined the company in 1844, and for five years he re ceived no remuneration. (Cheers, and a voice, " Then you ought.") In 1849, without any knowledge on his part, the proprietors voluntarily voted to him and his colleagues what they had since received. HOYES proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Byng, Cap tain Warren, and Mr. C. Child, which was received with cheers. Mr. C. CHILD requested the gentleman to withdraw th• motion, as they wanted no thanks. Mr. HOYES at once withdrew it. Mr. E. HERAPATH suggested that the company should divide its old and unguaranteed stock, like the Great Northern, into A and B shares. The CHAIRMAN said the hon. proprietor was out of order, and proceeded to propose the re-election of Mr. John Mor gan, the retiring auditor. Mr. GREY seconded the motion, and it was carried una nimously. Mr. A. BEATTIE moved that a third auditor be appointed, and that Mr. Whetham be elected. The CHAIRMAN observed that it was a peculiarity in their act that they had power to elect three auditors. Mr. GILPIN was strongly of opinion that three auditors would tend to the benefit of the company, and thought every one would be convinced at once, by reading that single paragraph in the report which said there had been a difference of opinion between the auditors and the direc tors as to which particular account certain sums ought to be charged. A third auditor would have added weight to the opinion of his colleagues, or, by differing, have raised the presumption that the directors were right. In answer to a Shareholder, The CHAIRMAN said the remuneration of each auditor was 1001. a year. Mr. STANDISH moved as an amendment that the number of auditors be limited to two. A show of hands was taken, and the amendment was lost by a very narrow majority. The original motion was put and carried, and Mr. Whe tharn declared them duly elected. The CHAIRMAN said the next resolution was a matter of account, and, perhaps, of principle too. The eight steam ships purchased by the company were, pending the arrange ment, insured, b u t s i nce th e 4 t h o f November they had not been insured. The directors proposed to set aside a sum out of the balance, as the commencement of a renewal fund, and looking at the short period that had elapsed, they considered 2,5001. would be sufficient. A PROPRIETOR asked if the fund was for repairs ? The CHAIRMAN replied that repairs would be charged to revenue account. The fund was to provide against lose. The rate of insurance was 5 per cent., and as their vessels performed the voyages chiefly in daylight, the directors thought it better for the company to take the risk them. selves. (Hear, hear.) The resolution was carried unanimously. The CHAIRMAN said the next resolution was one affecting the finances of the company —that in the event of the special meeting authorising the directors to raise 250,0001. by the issue of new shares under the Strood and Maidstone Act, they be also anthoriaed to raise 80.000/. on mortgage of that portion of the line. l a i ns e w to answering Bromley The m Mr. KEET ask e d if any part o f the 330,0001. w as t o b e applied to th e new n I :I: The CHAIRMAN, er negative, r e p ea t e d hi s former statement, that, th e board being reconstituted it was net proposed to discuss the question of the Bromley h a ve an opportunity o f ma t urely ntoew-dathyr,ebeutotrstowolueladve it to some future occa s i on , w h en line t the new considering it. Mr. KEET asked what they were going to do with this money ? The CHAIRMAN thought the hon. proprietor was con versant with the fact that the line from Strood to Maid stone was authorised last session. They h a d already in curred Parliamentary expenses, and had bought and paid for some of the land. This was the capital for making that line. M r . HAMILTON said they were about to guarantee 4i per cent. interest, and as this line would only yield 3 per make a loss by it. (Cheers.) cent., they they must inevitably CHAIRMAN said the proprietors must not lose sight of the fact that they were bound by act of Parliament e ith e r to make it or to pay no dividends at a ll. The resolution was then adopted. A. desultory conversation ensued upon the Lewisham and Bromley branch, in the course of which Mr. C. Child on the part of one body of directors, professed their willing ness to bow to the opinion of the majority, when the ques• tion should be fairly submitted for judgment ; and the chairman expressed a hope that the whole matter would be adjust e d t o the satisfaction of all parties, and to the avoiding of any rupture with the Brighton C om p an y ; a t the same time frankly stating his opinion that they were not justified in trifling with the interests of the neighbour hood, and he therefore hoped hie colleagues would go into the question at the earliest possible moment. The business of the ordinary half-yearly meeting being concluded, Mr. Forster, Sir J. Campbell, and Mr. Toulon severally acknowledged the kindness of the proprietors in electing them to the board, and declared their intention zealously and faithfully to discharge the duties of directors. On the motion of Mr. DILLoN, a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors was carried by acclamation. The meeting was then made special, and resolutions sub mitted authorising the issue of new shares, with a guaranteed interest of 4A per cent., to be first offered to the proprietors, for the construction of line from Strood to Maidstone. Mr. E. HERAPATH repeated his suggestion about the division of the stocks. The CHAIRMAN replied that it was no use to discuss an alteration which they ha& no power to make. The resolutions were then agreed to, 9.1111 the meeting separated. A. lney de Her Dec. con- ner- nse- and The reat ;era. uld. reat reat 3ra eut. day tern 7ery .ovv- Rio aco, Irch 12. t to mut Tels the we acne Bra ious ans eral The the •unt aloe lan 3on- [edi- ents t don urg, LeWS bed ; atis had had )neY ent• ada ene. 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