The Sun. — London, England, 1851-02-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, - FEBRUARY 14, 1851. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. Gloucester and Dean Forest Act, by mortgage of their under togt is however provided in the agreemeet l th d at the The usual half-yearly general meeting of the prop Gioucester and Dean Forest Company shall be ento e to Fe es of the Great Weatem Railway was held yester cave 5i per cent. upowthe said share capital, as soon as a line day, at the Paddington Station; Mr. Charles Russell, shall be finished from the terminus at Grange Court to chairman of the board of directors, in the chair. The Hereford, for which they have engaged to subscribe 25,000/. meeting was made special for the p ur p ose o f considering if authorised by Parliament to do so. By these covenants the propriety of converting the 171. shares, on which all your directois have effectually protected the interests cells have been made, into consolidated stock, and also for of this company, as th ey b e lieve, against threatened the purpose of authorising the directors to take leases of litigation, and they have secured not only the the wor ks belonging to the Gloucester and Dean Forest possession of the short link between the South Wales Railway on certain terms which had already been condi- Railway and Gloucester, but have obtained the best guarantee tionally entered into. The meeting was further made for the . completion of a I c e o d ntin o u n ou t s o rgl r w n y b toßoss and Here special for determining upon the propriety or other- ford,additional capital in wise of building an hotel, with refreshment rooms for it. wi te ut ne b c e e i s u slty ca o l f providing u station accommodation London, without further delay, for the additi ona l trade from dormitories, stables and other conveniences, near to the Birmingham and the north, as well as from Wales (to Paddington station. The chair was taken, and the pro- which reference has been made in farmer reports), has, in ceedings of the day commenced at half-past one o'clock, consequence of these agreements, been pressed very much just half-an-hour later than on previous occasions; but upon the attention of the board, who consider that the time long before that time the shed or workshop in which the has arrived when a commencement must be made in the meeting was held was partially filled with proprietors, construction of more permanent buildings, fitted for the The attendance, however, was by no means so numero us great increase of business whi c h must fl ow over your railway as on former oeseasions. after the completion of the li nes i n act i ve progress. It has been maturely considered whether any temporary additions to The advertisement convening the meeting having been the present buildings at Paddin ton could have been usefully read by Mr. Sanders, the secretary, the' common seal made, so as to postpone the g construction of a permanent of the company was affixed to the register of proprietors, station; but every inquiry bas proved that such expenditure The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to review the opera- would neither secure the main objects in view, nor be con tions of the company during the past half-year. sistent with economy. It is proposed that a new merchandize He said, in the last few months th e directors building should be forthwith commenced, in order to be avail had been occupied in m a t er i a lly cons id er i ng; the able for additional traffic, w bile the present goods' shed is kept relations which subsisted betw e e n t h e G rea t Western up for the existing and more urgent purposes of the trade ; and . it is recommended that a passenger departure shed, with Company and its neighbours, and though they on ofli offices, platforms, &c., and proper approaches to it, be made had not accomplished all that they originally anticipated, they yet obtaio ed enough to promote the future prosperity .erehree i g n ro t u e nnbeyond . the present goods station, so . as to in ofh least possible degree with the conveniences es all parties.—(Hear, hear.) The proprietors would t t ential to the traffic of the line. These partial commence remember that at the last meeting a resolution was m s ents of the permanent station are estimated to cost 50,000/ , peesed, authorising the directors to negotiate with the and may be considered as quite indispensable to enable the South Wales Company, with a view to a lease or aural- company to proceed with the business for which they have gamation. He was sorry to say that the offers of the undertaken to provide. More carriages and waggons will directors had been rejected by a small majority of the also be required, and the directors recommend that a further South Wales proprietors, and the arrangement had, vote should be taken at this meeting, to authorise an outlay therefore, fallen through. The directors, however, were of 25,000/. for that purpose." not prepared to make any advance in the pecuniary terms The CHAIRMAN then moved the adoption of the re they had offered to the South Wales Company, for port, and confirmation of th e accoun t s . the terms were agreed upon o n ly a f ter d ue Mr. UPCROFT wished t o k now b e f ore t h at resolut i on and proper deliberation, and they were the only terms was put, if any negotiations were pending with the Lon that could be safely adopted so as to secure the interest don and North-Western Railway for a traffic arrange of both sides.—(Cheers.) Some time ago the directors ment with regard to the Buckinghamshire lines? entered into a conditional arrangement for leasing the The CHAIRMAN replied in the negative. All that was Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway. They guaran- now pending between the two companies related to the teed a certain return upon a capital of 425,0001.; but a dispute with the Shrewsbury and Wolverhamptom Corn portion of the ,line bad passed into the hands of the pany. The directors had offered their mediation for the South Wales Railway Company, and by that step the settlement of the dispute,—(Hear, hear.) (topical of the tributary had been reduced to 292,0001. Mr. DE Wierroer gave it as his opinion that the sys nee first arrangement, the meeting would remember, was tem of guaranteeing dividends was highly objectionable; fors specified amount of interest with half th e sur pl us p ro - it had proved the curs e o f thi s as we ll as ot h er large fits over the gross amount of that interest. Now it had companies, and he should be glad to see it speedily been recently discovered that the system of guarantee- abandoned.—(Hear, bear.) ing half the surplus profits was highly objectionable, and Major GODFREY thought the South Wales proprietors therefore, at the request of the Gloucester and Forest were highly to blame for not having adopted the terms of Dean Company, the directors had consented to mo- that were offered to them.--(Hear, hear.) The directors, dify these terms.—(Hear, hear.) They had made a who belonged to both boards, had displayed more mo substitute of adding half per cant. to the original gun- desty than prudence in abstaining from voting on the rantee in lieu of half the surplus; profits, making an ab- occasion when the agreement was negatived, since no solute guarantee of 41 per cent. for the first five years one could dispute that the arrangement which was pro of the lease, while at the expiration of that period th e Posed would have been for th e mu t ua l a d vantage of both surplus profits were to be taken as equal to one per companies.—(Hear, hear.) cent., and the absolute guarantee would th ence - The C HAIR3IAM sa id i t was perfectly true that the forth be 5 per cent. on a limited extent of directors had abstained from voting, and it was equally Gloncester and Dean Forest share capital, namely, true that they bad a legal right to do so ; but they had 254,0001.—(Hear, hear.) In addition to this guarantee, felt that the agreement was a question which rested there would still be required 10,000/. to complete the solely with the proprietors, and therefore it was that the works of the line, but there would be no difficulty in the directors bad abstained from voting.—(Hear, hear.) way of raisins that further capital.--(Hear, h ear .) Th e Mr. N ORRIS felt th a t some apology was due to the Gloucester and Dean Forest had consented to assist an meeting for the delay which bad taken place in the undertaking known as the Ross and Hereford Railway, completion of the Birmingham and Oxford line. It was which would be a great feeder to the former line, and of vital importance that the Northern line should be the directors of the Great Western had consented, on the brought into active operation as soon as possible; and completion of the Ross and Hereford Railway, to extend he, therefore, recommended the directors to push on the the guarantee on the 254,0001, to five and a half per works as fast as possible.—(Hear, hear.) That line cent.—(Hear, hear.) The directors had made arrange- would open up a direct communication between Liverpool meats with the Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton Corn- and Manchester, Southampton and Dover, as well as pany for conveying traffic through to th e nor th. H e place the north i n eas y access to the west.—(Bear,) need not remark that this arrangement was not come to He highly approved of the state of the accounts, which till all attempts at amicable negotiation had failed with he really believed were strictly correct, and went the London and North-Western Railway. These nego- amply into detail; but he should be glad if in ftiture tiations were not broken off until every hope of a satin- the able accountant who assisted is their preparation factory result being at length obtained had entirely va- would affix his certificate to them, staking his reputation nished, for the terms which were demanded by the Lon- for their accuracy.—(Hear, hear.) He wished that don and North-Western were so extravagant that they course to be pursued to silence cavillers out of doors, could only have been ac ce d e d to at a l oss to this corn- an d h e h oped this suggestion would not be lost sight on' pany.—(Hear, hear.) In confirmation of this it was —(Hear, hear.) He was glad to see that the directors only necessary for him t o men ti on , th at t h e cost of did not think it b eneat h t h e i r not i ce to refer to the independent stations at Bi rm i ng h am , an d i nde- project of est a bli s hi ng a steam communication between pendent lines beyond that to wn , wou ld not Plymouth and the east, f or t h at sc h eme would be of exceed, if indeed it did not fall short, of the expenditure great service, and he trusted it would be supported by which the terms proposed by the London and North- the company.—(Hear.) Western Company would have necessitated.—(Hear, The Rev. Mr. Necnoesow blamed the directors for hear.) The interest of the company had therefore not having abstained from voting on the South Wales cues been damaged to any serious extent by the susp e n s i on o f tion. No doubt if th e or i g i na l agreement for a lease of a the negotiations, inasmuch as, though the agreements line to Fishguard could be enforced, the South Wales pro made with the Shrewsbury a nd Bi rm i ng h am an d prietors were right in re j ect i ng t h e proposal, but he did Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton Companies in no way not believe that it could be legally maintained, and it increased the liabilities of the company, it would never- was therefore foolish in them to negative the propssal theless oonsiderabiy improve its traffic.—(Hear, hear.) of this company.—(H ear , hear.) Now with regard to The directors were most anxious to be at peace the lines in the north, he should be glad to know if any with their neighbour, but they could not receive arrangement had been made, or if not, was one contem that peace at a sacrifice of th e i r own i nterest s. --(H ear , plated, for workin g the traffic between Chester and Bir hear.) They had done nothing that could at all assume k - enhead ? He was rejoiced to hear that an arrangement the aspect of an aggressive policy, since the same lines of that sort had been concluded with the Srewsbury and they were about to co-operate with were just as much Birmingham and Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton, but open to the London and North-Western traffic, and the he was still sadly afraid that the London and North- Great-Western Company could, therefore, only get that Western Company would overreach them in the same ' amount of increased traffic which legitimately belonged manner that they had attempted to do in the case of the to them.—(Hear, hear.) Passing from the subject of Birmingham and Oxford line.—(Hear, hear.) Now, to these negotiations to the immediate operations of the avert such an evil as that, had tee directors taken steps Great-1e extern Railway itself, he thought the results to secure a lease of these lines, so as to prevent the Lon a .thiepast half-year were highly satisfactory. The re- don and North-Western Company coming into the turns from the:goods traffic had been within 200/. of that market and purchasing up shares to give them a prepen of the last halt of the year 1849, and prima facie it derating influence in the meetings of the two companies? would almost seem that this description of their traffic The CHAIRMAN said neither they nor any other corn was stationary; but when he took i n to cons id erat i on t h e Par,' could lease either line, as th ere was no l eg i s l at i ve severe competition they had this year had to contend power for doing so. The Rev. Mr. Mei:rouser—Yes, but it may be sou g ht with by the opening of now rail wa y s , th ere was reason ' to conclude that the goods traffic was still on tho in- for. ' crease.—(Hear, hear.) The p eseeneer ti affic exhibited The CHAIRMAN did no t b e li eve t h at i t would, nor did • . an increase of 23,0001, of which 10,0001. was produced he expect that the London and North Western Com by pleasure traffic; a circumstance which clearly indi- Pany would profit by the Rev. Gentleman's suggestion cased that the development of railway traffic had as yet about purchasing shares.—(Hear.) , The Rev. Mr. Nica o n sore —l protest against that far from reached its limits—(Fleur)—and which s h ou ld pro fill them A ith hive for the future.—(Hear, hear.) In ceeding, it is not fair ; I ma d e no suggest i on. this state of things he thought no o ne cou ld fi nd fault The CHAIRMAN said the course which the London either with the results of their traffic operations or with ,and North-Western Company pursued with refer the favourable appearance of the accounts, and he would enco to the Birmingham and Oxford lino did not meet therefore detain them no longer on this branch of his with so much success as to induce them to try subject, but with the permission of the shareholders the experiment again. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) would take a glance at the prospects of the coming year. The directors felt, however, that they were dealing with —(Hear, hear.) Before it closed the directors expected honourable men, who would be above any such ma , to be in a position to open both the South Wales Line neeuvres, and the proprietors needy therefore, be under and the Northern Line, which of course would no apprehension that these lines would slip through materially augment the traffic in 1852, while the hands of this company.—(Hear, hear.) for the preserit year he thought the meeting Mr. DE WINTON would be glad to know if the direc `would agree with him that the Great Exhibi- tors had any objection to appoint a committee, selected Lion would bring them more traffic than they could con- from their own and the proprietors' body, to re -open veniently manage ' at least it might be supp ose d so at the neg ot i a ti on w i t h the South Wales Company, with first sight, but the engineer and superintendents of the a view to a modified agreement.—(Hear, hear.) The line were making such extensive preparations at all the present state of things was highly injurious to both coin stations that it would be almost impossible for them to Panics, for an impression was abroad that the company be taken by surprise.—(Hear, hear.) The future, there- was bound to pay the South Wales 200,0004 per annum fore, was foil o f h o p e an d prom i se, so much so, indeed, under the original a greement, an d t h e consequence was, that it would be perceived from the language of the the shares of the Great Western were kept below par. • report, that additional sheds were already required, The CHAIRMAN said the directors would be most while the due accommodation of the public would happy to meet the South Wales Company for the pur impose upon them the duty of building an hotel near to Pose of carrying into effect any amicable arrangement s; the Paddi ng t on stat i on. —(Cheers.) But these were mat- they thought, under all the circumstances of th e ters which would have to be fully referred to when they else, the first overtures ought to come from the South came to the special business of the day ; and thanking Wales Company.—(Hear, hear.) If any modification the meeting for the a t tent i on they had given him, he could be proposed i n th e say of managing the South would resume his seat b y requesting Mr. Sanders to Wales line, the di rec t ors were quite ready to carryout read the report of the dir ec t ors, --- (Hcar, hear.) any details of that sort, b u t t h e di rectors must nevertheless Mr. SANDERS then read the report which stated—. be allowed to adhere to the determination. he bad men . The directors have to report, for the information of the tioned in his opening address, namely, that they would proprietors, that during the last half-year openings have make no advance in the pecuniary terms that had been taken place of the Oxford and Rugby line to Banbury, a proposed to the South Wales Company.—(Hear.) distance of twenty-four miles beyond Oxford; and of the Mr. DELOITTE, the accountant, adverting to what had Wilts and Somerset line to Frame, six miles beyond fallen from s M . r. Norris, said he was quite ready to ap• Westbury. The traffic is carried over both those railways Wished it, certificate to the accounts if the shareholders at present by means of a single line of rails, but the works have been constructed for a double railway. The accounts of revenue comprise the receipts and reputation for the accuracy of the accounts.—(Elear.) expenditure in respect of those lines si nce th e i r After some furth er di scuss i on the resolution for the . openings successively, on the 2d September and 7th October, adoption of the report was put and carried unanimously. as well as those of the other railways worked during the six A dividend after the rate of 4i per cent. was then trim:tem on ac coun t o f t hi s company. They do not include declared on the paid-up capital of the company, payable h South Wales revenue, the proceeds of which are sepa- on the Ist of March next, and a resolution agreed to rately accounted for, as belon g ing to that company. Th e f or f e i t i ng a number of shares whose holders were de general result of th e accountsean scarcely fail to prove sa- faulters in the calls. tisfactory to the proprietors, for they show increased receipts and dimished exp en di ture, with a larger disposable balance, after every charge The retiring directors were th en re-E l ected, and the has been defrayed out of revenue, ordinary business of the half -yearly meeting c l ose d ° t and after providing . f or the interest due t he with a vote of thank s t o t h e au di tors. ' 31st December last, on the fi xe d 44 per cent. stock, w hi ch Mr. HUNT pr esen t e d a memorial helm Bath, prayi ng has a preferential claim on the disposable receipts of the the directors to sus p en d a ll unnecessary traffic on company, the directors have no hesitation in recommending Sundays, and moved a resolution requesting the,directors that a dividend should be declared on the consolidated to comply ' with the prayer of the memorialists. stock. and shares, at the rate of four per cent per annum, Mr. MORRIS hoed the meeting would pause before to be payable to the proprietors on the Ist of March, it adopted such a resolution. Nothing had produced so which will leave a balance of 49,660/. 12s. 9d. to be carried much good, so much sobriety, so much morality amongst forward. With respect to the prospective revenue of the the working classes of the metropolis as the faeilities which eompany, the directors have to announce the completion railways afforded them for enjoying the fresh air of an important agreement for the interchange of traffic of e country, and so far from curtailing the Sunday with the Shrewsbury and Birmingham, and Shrewsbury eel Thee e u d r s 1 ii motion pan i a c ot no c o increasem m od . a t it.—(Hear, t o n . ....( t directors hear. ought to be and Chester Railway Companies, who must be regarded as the natural allies and feeders of your Birmingham a nd . H h e e a r, Wolverhampton lines, from which they will . derive equal was ultimately negatived by a large majority, only eight met with considerable opposition, and it s eng eld up m its favour. bene fit in return by obtaining the traffic which the Gr eat hand b i h • Western lineas.c.aii command in the south of England to . be conveyed to those tee in the north or north-west, to which A SHAREHOLDER would be glad to know, before the the three comp eye access. The agreement was sealed by went into the business of the • special meeting, if the 2.: consideration of its on the 10th January, after a careful rectors had considered the expedienc o f • for which the provisions , limited to traffic purposes tickets. y granting season only Legislature had conferred lull powers The CHAIRMAN said they had, and the conclusion they on the respective ards of management. It ma Y • had arrived at was that it was not expedient. be peeper to mention en this occasion, that be fore your directors co °A cmmunicate with —__________ ___ _ _ the directors of the Shrews agreement, all hops' had be ned of obtaining any Companies respecting any equitable arrangement with tha Toned .ouir. Birmingham, or Railway Company for a common mat r on and Nortil7Western J th o a tly between Bir for the use of railways to be constructed b t t in the town of rain ham and Wolverhampton, or for rt een the two Leamington, and that the negotiations ess tb ential to boards had terminated.n eTnmhepldeitrinecgtoarsndthoipnalecnin L o t : c line to proceed expeditiously Birmingham, and they have already given orders completion of the Gloucester and I De l a Y n . The approaching Forest Railway at the time when the South Wales line will probably be opened throughout, from the juncti on at Grange Court to Chepstow, renders it advisable to take this oppor tunity of submitting for confirmation the original agreement far a lease of it, together with a' supplemental and more de fined agreement, introducing some modification in the terms and conditions, to which your 'directors recommend that the assent of the special general meeting should be also given. In the original deed it was provided that 4 per cent. welt half of the profits should be secured to the share holders of the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway, upon the capital they were authorised to reise which amounted alto 1. gather to 425,000/ Supplemental agreement The modification published in 1848. , as explained ' in the financial statement . efimodification introduced into the , ent, xes the rent to be paid at 4i per eaht, on 254,000 e of share capital for five years, and at 5 per • • can4:44ei alhiftnta after that apneriod, leaving it in the hands of thisewompatty to control need efilyetteyond that amount! expenditure which may be which is estimated not to ex -ceeir.:l4otaeig 413tottcester. maki nt a bran e:11 h is and fi n i s hi ng the dock 4 are only to defray the 1411ar e le , 11 0- o :ta a r be payable n2PanY a ndib ie l z i tnemie • be raised ~,.. Ti. sueb additional capital, . 4 " It adder the powers of the 7 . ,/ SPECIAL MEETING. The shareholdersthenreoslolloivvedingthpeamraseglrvaepsh iinatothae special meeting, when the f ~directors'A special report noticewia 3 hread beenand g c i o v n e s n i considered:_ e o re d :consider the derjoinat Paddingt on f or an ty Ing to the statio n , an d pro priety of authorising the directors to approp r i a t e a por tion of 'the company's prophotel, and oth er p rem i se s co built and or security leased under proper covenants, upon to arrange f or p rocur i ng suc h the be guarantee of the comp any . This accommodation is much needed be by the publi c , i n proof of which it may . enced ver stated that an offer has b een a l ready made by an experi enced ma nager of such b us i ness, to take the lease, paying a y re munerative retur n f ur any money which may be ex - Pe . nded, w i th adequate security for the performance o f his engagements. The directors are satisfied that, not only will the company derive an accession of traffic from passengers who may he induced to travel on their railwa nicnc e of y, in consequence of the conve the want a good h ote l at the London terminus, of which might influence them to select some other line, b ut that the rent of the premises, besides de fraying all interest on the capital, will enable them gradually to repay the principal without loss to the company. If the proprietors concur in the expediency of such a measure, under a resolution which will be leave submitted to the meeting, it is i n t en d e d to apply fa. s into a Bill now b efore Parliament for the purpose of carrying it into effect. The directors recommend that the 17/. shares should I ilk oQn?red into onsylidated Wok 94 the Ist Jgly nen, M II 40 by which time it is probable that the calls will have been paid up in full; and they think it will be for the interest of the company to pass a resolution authorising in like manner the conversion of the Great Western Windsor shares of 201. each into the same consolidated stock, not exceeding 130,0001., as and when the amount of each share may be paid up in full." Resolutions were passed in conformity with these re commendations, and the new agreement, referred to by the chairman in his opening address, was read and confirmed. This closed the business of the special meeting. A vole of thanks was then passed to the Chairman, who briefly acknowladged the compliment, and the pro ceedings of the meeting, which were protracted to 4 late hour, terminated. _ - EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY. A special general meeting of the shareholders of this company was held yesterday, at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, " to consider, and if approved, to au thorize the directors to cagy into full effect two several agreements with the Norfolk, and Eastern Union Rail way Companies respectively, for the permanent working by this company of their railways in csnjunction with those of the Norfolk and the Eastern Union Railway Companies, upon terms and conditions, subject to stipu lations and agreements, which will be laid before the meeting." Long before the hour of meeting, one o'clock, the large room of the tavern was densely crowded with pro prietors, and the greatest excitement appeared to prevail. Joseph Glynn, Esq., the deputy chairman of the com pany, presided. J. P. RONEY, Esq., the secretary, having read the ad vertisement convening the meeting, then read the beads of the proposed agreements, which appeared in The Sun on the Ist instant. In reply to a SHAREHOLDER, The Solicitor of the Company, Mr. MAYNARD, stated that the agreement for carrying out the above heads was not yet in a form to receive the seal of the company, but it could be prepared immediately after the reso lutions which were to be submitted to the meeting to day were passed. The CHAIIaMAN, after expressing his regret at the cause which led to the resignation of Mr. Betts, the late chairman, and claiming the indulgence of the meeting while he explained the object for which it had been called, this being the first occasion on which he had presided over a meeting of the cempany, proceeded to observe that it had been thought best by the three companies that a special general meeting of the Eastern Counties Company should be called, in order that they might not be trammelled by the dif ferent questions which came before them at the half yearly meetings. The question to be discussed to-day was of a very grave and important character, and he hoped it would be considered calmly and dispassionately.— (Hear, hear.) He would allude, in the first instance, to the origin of the agreement between the three com panies. They were all aware that an agreement was made to work: the Eastern Union Railway in concert for a given length of time. That agreement had certainly not been satisfactory, and they received a notice for its termination from the Eastern Union Company; but though that agreement was unsatisfactory in itself, there had been a great and good result from it, showing what could be done, if the working of the lines could be permanently united, for the public good,—(Hear, hear.) The agree ment with the Norfolk line expired in 1845. Besides the unsatisfactory state of things with the Eastern Union, which now existed, the directors apprehended a Parlia mentary contest in the ensuing session, because notices had been published by that company of their intention to ask for powers to run over the Eastern Counties line; and they would have to contest such application, and, if possible, prevent it.—(Hear.) Now, the policy of uniting the three lines had been strongly impressed on his mind ever since he became connected with the company, not only with those, but also all the other lines in the East Anglian district. They had all one mutual interest, and if the traffic east ward of Norwich were better developed, all parties would be benefited. That was his fixed and deliberate opi nion. The Eastern Union were about forming a junction, which was nearly completed, with the Norwich Railway , at a hamlet named Trowice, in the neighbourhood of Nor wich. When the railways were thus united the junction would form one system of communication from London to the pricipal station of the Norwich Company, and a communication from London to the east and west, by Colchester, Y a r mout h , D ereham, and the midland dis tricts of England. Taking, therefore, into considera tion that they had a kind of" hollow truce" with the East ern Union, and that the agents of the Eastern Counties and the Eastern Union were trying to get as much traffic on their respective lines, and bring as much into their respective coffers as they could, they must lament these circumstances, and all be desirous of preventing such injurious competition. (Cries of " Hear, hear.") Being then on the eve of a Parliamentary contest, he thought it right to open a communication with Mr. Cobbold, the chairman of the Eastern Union, and Mr. Bignold. They all agreed it was a sad thing going on spending unprofitably the monay of their share holders, and they thought it would be advisable to come to an understanding, whereby might be set aside the Par liamentary contest, all hostile proceedings done away with, and a harmonious working of the lines entered upon for the good of all. The result of these communications was that a number of deputies from the three companies was ap pointed to confer upon and discuss the matter. Four gentlemen from this company were appointed to meet three from the other two companies. The basis on which they came to an understanding was as follows. They ascertained that the gross earnings of the three companies for the last twelve months, taking those of the Eastern Union from the opening to Norwich, amounted to 935,0001. Now they felt that if any union was effected, they bad only one locomotive establishment instead of three ; the working expenses might be reduced to forty-five per cent. on the gross earn ings. They assumed the gross earnings in their calculations to be only 900,0001., though they did not anticipate that they would ever be so small. The guarantees of the Eastern Counties amounted at present to 246,0001. a year; the guarantees of the Nor folk Company would not exceed 60,000/4 the Eastern Union had been ascertained at 70,0001. It was agreed that these two latter sums, 60,000/. and 70,000/, should be the maximum of the guarantees; but with respect to the Eastern Counties Com a pany, it was arranged that it should purchase the rolling stock of the Eastern Union, and other. things which he could not now detail, and that there should be allowed a further margin of 20,0001. a yeeer, making the sum which the Eastern Counties guarantees amount to 266,0001. Supposing, therefore, the gross earning in 1845 to be 495,0004, and the total guarantees of the three companies to be 3 / 6 ,0001, there would be a surplus of 119,0001. a yea:e. Now, after considerable discussion, it was arranged that the Eastern Counties should take 6-Bths, the Eastern Union *th, and the Nor folk 6th. This would make a total of 120,000 Z. being 90,000/. to the Eastern Counties, and 30,000/. to the other two companies. The number of miles belonging to the Eastern Counties proper was 228, the E as t ern U n i on 95, the Norfolk 94. The total amount of consolidated stock was 8,193,0001., of which the Eastern Counties had 5,886,0004, Eastern Union 1,310,0001., and the Norfolk 997,000/. Therefore it would be seen that the division of one-eighth to the Eastern Counties was a fair and equitable arrange ment under the circumstances. If this plan was car ried out the earnings would he better, the expenses less, and peace would exist between the rival companies. At present he had proxies placed in his hands in favour of the proposition amounting to 11,670 votes and 496 votes had been sent in too late, making a total of 12,166 votes.—(ol2, oh, and cheers.) Further votes had been lodged in the name of independent shareholders, making an aggregate of 1,445 votes. After alb: A iling to other circumstances, the chairman concluded by moving the resolution for the confirma tion ad the agreement entered into by the three com- Palsies. Mr. GEACH proposed an amendment to the effect that the meeting should be adjourned to the 25th of March, to enable proprietors to consider the terms of the amalgamation. He felt no hostility towards the directors, believing th e y were entitled to his thanks fo r the policy , they had pursued, but they ought to be careful ere they sanctioned an arrangement which might possibly result in injury to the company. It was not right that so important an agreement should be discussed at one meeting with such imperfect information before them.—(Cheers.) This agreement would probably last till every man in the room was removed from the world, and therefore the necessity of caution became apparent.—(Cheers.) Th was beside fift een m il lions of money involved ere in this amalgamation. He hoped the motion for an adjournment would be carried.—(Hear.) He was quite aware of the necessity of making concessions on all sides, but supposing they had Bd. to divide, they should see that they got their proper share of the money,-- (Laughter.) The Eastern Counties Company had lately had an unfortunate notoriety, and they should do every thing in their power to satisfy the public that the management would now be freed from those evils which had hitherto attached to it. He did not think that any dame was to be attributed to the directors, the officers, or, indeed, to anybody else.—(Groans and laughter.) The Hon. Gentleman concluded by putting his amend ment to the meeting. Mr. Box agreed with Mr. Geach, that sufficient data had not been placed before the meeting to enable it to form an opinion on the aubject under consideration. Ho therefore cordially supported the amendment, and suggested the propriety of appointing a committee of shareholders to assist the directors in completing the terms of the agreement.—(Cheers.) Mr. Cl:Husain entirely concurred in the sentiment er pressed by Mr. Box. A bargain cut many ways, and it might happen that the Eastern Counties Company were the sufferers in the thou ht the present instance.—(Cheers.) He appointment of a committee would be satis factory to all parties.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. BROWN, of Glasgow, said it required no ingenuity to see that by a union of the lines they would be more prosperous than under the present system.—(Hear, hear.) In every possible point of view he thought the proposed arrangement should be carried out, it being both fair and equitable; and no beneficial result could arise, but rather an injury, from adjourniag the meeting before it was determined.—(Cheers, and cries of "No, no," and uproar.) Mr. Howse supported the amendment. Although their property had been much wasted by strife and dis sension, still they should not be frightened to defer de termining the question before the meeting• until they were supplied with the necessary information. Mr. E. MILES also supported the amendment. Mr. ADAMS said every one agreed as to the desirabie lity of an amalgamation, for if the present opposition was to be carried oa between London and Norwich, th e affairs of the whole three companies would be involved in one common rain; but the proprietors should not rush into ttn arrogetnent until they bad the terms of it before them.—(Hear, hear.) There could not be a more false test by which to judge of the equity of the arrangement than that adopted by the chairman. Mr. Sergeant GASELEE observed, that if he had ever thought proxies ought to be abolished, as being injurious to the independence of railway companies, the declaration of the chairman had satisfied his mind completely.—(Loud cheers.) He stated that 12,000 proxies had been received by the company, and they were from persons, it should be recollected, who could have no possible means of judging of the terms of the amalgamation.—(Cheers.) For himself, he would not consent to the agreement without ample time for consideration, and he hoped that the proprietors would be unanimous in assenting to the proposition for an adjournment.—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN said he might settle the Honourable and Learned Gentleman's doubts by answering, that it was not the intention of the directors to use the proxies on the question of adjournment.—(Loud cheers.) After some further discussion, carried on amidst much uproar, an amendment was passed by a large majority, adjourning the meeting until the 18th of March, and appointing a committee to confer with the directors on the subject of the agreement. The following gentlemen were then named to consti tute the committee:—Mr. Box, Mr. M'Claren, Mr. Waddington, Mr. Geach. Mr. Nichols, Mr. Filcher, Mr. Sitnnionds, Mr. Paulin;;, and Captain Kelly. A vote of thanks was given to the Chairman, and the meeting separated. NORFOLK RAILWAY COMPANY. A meeting of the shareholders of this company was held yesterday, at the Guildhall- ehembers, Basinghall street, for the purpose of considering an agreement tor consolidation to be made with the Eastern Counties and Eastern Union Railway Companies; Major Tyndal in the chair. The agreement having been read to the following effect : " Ist. The Eastern Counties Railway Company to under take the working of all the lines of railway belonging to the three companies. " 2d. The Eastern Counties Railway Company to take at a valuation all the rolling stock belonging to the Eastern Union Railway Company ; and also to take the rolling stock belonging to the Norfolk Railway Company, at the valuation already made thereof by Mr. R. Stephenson. "3d. After repayment to the Eastern Counties Railway Company of all the expenses of working and maintaining the several lines, the surplus to be first applied in payment of the interest on the debentures and dividends on preference stock issued by the several companies; it being, however, stipu lated that under this head the Eastern Counties Railway Company shall not receive more than 266,000/., the Norfolk Company more than 60,0001., and the Eastern Union Com pany more than 70,0001. "4th. The divisible surplus to have the benefit of any re duction in the rate of interest payable upon the debentures of the several companies. " sth. The residue of the surplus remaining after payment of the interest and dividends on the debentures and prefe rence stocks, to be divided as follows: The Eastern Counties Railway Company to receive -Bths The Norfolk Company ... ..... 1-Bth. The Eastern Union Company l-Bth. "6th, The Norfolk and Eastern Union Railway Companies each to select one of their directors, who shall qualify to be a director of the Eastern Counties Railway Company's Board, and for whom vacancies will be made. z' "7th. Each of those companies to have an office at the Bishopsgate station of the Eastern Counties Railway Com pany, and to be allowed each 5001. per annum for the ex penses of their directions and their office staffs, the same to form part of the working expenses. " Bth. The agreement now existing between the Eastern Counties Railway Company and the Norfolk Railway Com pany to be cancelled. " 9th. The branch line from Manningtree to Harwich to be made as soon as possible on the joint responsibility of the three companies. " 10th. The agreement to be made for fifty years, from the sth of January, 1851. "llth. Application to be made to Parliament for an Act of Amalgamation of the three companies upon the preceding basis at some convenient period. " 12th. The above arrangements to be subject to confirma tion by the shareholders of each of the three companies, for which purpose a special general meeting is to be called for the 13th February. The CHAIRMAN then submitted the following resolu tion to the meeting:—" That the terms of the agree ment now read be adopted, provided a similar resolution be this day passed by the Eastern Counties Railway Company and the Eastern Union Railway Company re spectively. That in the event of such resolution being passed by the other companies, the directors of this be, and they are hereby authorised and empowered to carry the terms of the agreement into ef fect, and to enter into and execute, under the company's seal, such deeds or instruments as counsel may advise to be necessary for the purpose." Mr. PETO, M.P., seconded the motion. Major COURT said there were three points on which he wished for information; one was why the rolling stock which had been handed over to the East ern Counties Railway Company had not been valued, why the sums to be paid as interest on the debenture and preference stock were fixed in the respective proportions set forth in the agreement, and also why the residue surplus was to be divided into eighths. He thought sufficient information had not been issued to the directors on that point, and he should theretbre move an amendment that the confirmation of the agreement be postponed until some further informa tion be fernisked to the shareholders. Mr. PXTO, M.P., said that there could be no difficulty iu replying to the Gillant Major. With regard to the rolling stock, the Gallant Major would find, if he looked to the lust report, that a valuation of the rolling stock had been made by Mr. Robert Stephenson at the time when it was handed over, and that since the award of that gentleman had been made, Mr. Marbury, on the part of the Eastern Counties, and himself (Mr. Peto) had been engaged in considering that award, and it was only in the course of last week that they had come to a conclusion. The next matter of which the Gallant Major complained was, why the amount to be divided, the debentures and preference stocks, bad been put atsuch high sums as they were? To this he could only say that they meant these sums to be such as should cover all the interest of the debentures and preference stock, and in calculating this it was absolutely necessary to take a margin large enough in me of all tieing cove,red. With regard to the surplus being divided into 'eighths, the proprietors would see that by this plan it did not matter to them what might be the capital of other companies. The principle on which it had been ar ranged was the amount of capital which each brought to bear: the Eastern Counties brought nearly •,000.000L, the Eastern Union 1,300,0001., and the Norfolk Railway nearly 1,000,0001. A ques tion had been asked as to whether the Harwich branch was covered by this agreement, and he must tell them that it was not. They all felt that when these three companies were consolidated this branch would be of the greatest importance. The Eastern Union had not executed that branch, and he thought wisely, for at best it would only have carried the traffic over abou t four or five miles of their line and then delivered it to the Eastern Counties. The mode in which this branch could be executed would not require any expenditure of capital, as the contractor who had undertaken it was willing to take the tolls in payment for his work. He had always said there would be no dividend at all approaching that which the proprietors had a right to expect, until the whole eastern district should be consolidated. They never would bring down the working expenses of the line to such a sum as would leave them a fair dividend until they were united. Last year the three com panies had received in traffic 930,0001., and the Great Northern could not by any chance take away from them more than 30,0004 If then their line was worked at the expense which it ought to be, they would be reduced to at least 45 per cent. of the gross receipts; and they could at once see that this would bring them a much larger dividend than had been paid for some years. This was not a question of how much each company should get more than another, but it was whether they should take advantage of au opportunity by which,with judicious management at head quarters, they might effect a reduction of at least 100,000/. per annum.—(Hear, hear.) He could not be lieve that a large concern like the Eastern Counties, capable of earning a million a year, would long con tinue in its present state. The truth was they had a divided board there, and where that was the case, however great might be the talents and energy of the gentlemen composing it, there was no security left against mismanagement. Again, they must take care to have proper men in the directorship—men of high standing, who could not afford to have a spot cast upon their characters —who would act in the affairs of a rail way as they would in their own private concerns. If they had men like these, and paid them well il for rtheir services, so as to enable the m to devote th e i r whole time, energy, and knowledge tothe have it well managed, asa n --(Hear,) The Brighton example of this, and their having a man like Mr. Laing at the head of their management was the reason why Brighton Railway stock approached nearer to the price of Consols than any other in the market.—(Hear, hear.) He believed that this arrangement was one calculated to benefit all the tbree companies, if they went into it without mutual jealousy, and a determination to carry it out for the joint benefit of all. It was not one which could be culled " sharp practice" and a " hard bargain," for he had observed that such agreements as these never benefited either party, and he would infinitely rather let the Norfolk Railway remain as it was, and throw the agreement into the fire, than go into it without a principle of mu tuality and joint interest.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) But even supposing this agreement were not carried out with these two companies, the Norfolk Railway Com pany would net be in a condition of despair; the Northern Railway Company would be very glad to offer them equally as good conditions, and therefore, as a large proprietor in the company, and one who had never sold a share, he did not care one farthing whether this agreement were carried out or not. Still, as he believed it to be a just and equitable one, which would be for the mutual benefit of the three com panies, and which would ultimately bring the greatest amount into the pockets of the shareholdess, he might say that he hoped it would. It was for the interest of this company to be in alliance with the Eastern Counties and with the Eastern Union. He hoped, then, that they would all no into it heartily and jointly, with confidence in their directors. They had no secrets to keep from them, and he was sure that nothing would at any time occur which could sully the fair fame of any of the directors.—(Great cheering.) Major COURT said that after the able explanation which had beau given by Mr. Peto, he should not persist in putting his amendment. After a short discussion the amendment was with drawn. In reply to a question from a SHAREHOLDER, Mr. PETO explained that the two directors of the Norfolk and Eastern 'Union Railway Company would sit At 029 Ent= Counties Railway Board, to watch the interests of their several companies. The proportion was quite fair, and was setrlod on the ratio of the unguaranteed stock belongiog to each company. The original rs:;olution was then par, and carried unanimously, amid loud cheering. The meeting then separated after a vote of thanks to the Chairman. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. EASTERN UNION RAILWAY. A general meeting of the Eastern Union Railway Company was held yesterday at Radley's Hotel; John Cobbold, E et, M.P., in the chair. The CHAIRMAN said that the shareholders had been called together to consider the terms of agreement at present in operation between the Eastern Union Railway Company and the Eastern Counties Company, and whe ther an amalgamation should ho formed with that com pany or not. Having read the heads of the new agree ment, he said that the shareholders were aware that the object of the directors in entering into this agreement was to reduce their expenses, and con sequently improve the income of the company. It was very evident that nothing was to be look( d for out of the Eastern Company, and it was therefore plain that if any loss were sustained at all it must be suffered by the Eastern Union Company. The arrangement had been made in the expectation that the working expenses would be reduced. That expectation had been disap pointed, but he did hope that by an alteration of their present arrangements they would save 1,000/. a week, or 50,0001. a year. Indeed, if all the advantages were obtained which the directors expected not less than 100,0001. a year would accrue for the pay ment of the dividends; and while they were obtaining these advantages for themselves, the public would be better served. With these observations, he would call upon the secretary to read the pith of the agreement. The SECRETARY then read an abstract of the agree ment, by which it appeared that the Eastern Coun ties Company were to insure to the Easiern Union Company 70,000/., and purchase all the rolling stock of the company ; the Eastern C oun ti es were to receive six-eights of the gross receipts, the Norfolk Compa n y one - e i g h t h , and the Eastern Union Company one-eighth—that 5001. a year was to bo ap propriated for the payment of the direction of the Nor folk Company, and a similar sum for the payment of the direction of the Eastern Union Company; the latter company agreeing to sell the whole of their sur plus lands. To a question from a SHAREHOLDER, The CHAIRMAN replied, that the amount of guarantee given for preference shares was, in fact, 256.0001, but the Eastern Company took a margin of 10,000/., so that virtually it amounted to 266,0001. To Mr. Jocel) n, Mr. Taylor, and other shareholders, The CHAIRMAN replied that the depreciation of the rolling stock was amply provided for by the terms of the agreement, which was to last for 50 years from Jan. 5, 1851, each company taking its own proportion of profit and loss. The Eastern Counties Company, in their amalgamation with the Northern and Eastern, had agreed to allow that one-third of the members of the board of direction should represent the Northern and Eastern shareholders.. The number of the directors had been reduced from 18 to 12, and four of the members of that board were shareholders of the Northern and Eastern Counties Company. Mr. HuskETT conceived that as he understood there was, in the event of an amalgamation with the Eastern Counties Company, to be only one director from the Eastern Union Company, be certainly could not fairly advocate the claims of this company. The CHAIRMAN replied, that the amount of gua ranteed receipts for the payment of interest of debentures or other liabilities was 266,0004 ; the amount guaranteed for the Norfolk Company was 60,000 L, and that for the Eastern Union Com pany, 70,0001., being in strict accordance with the amounts of capital of the different companies. The un guaranteed amount of the stock of the Eastern Counties Company was 6,000,000/. ; of the Norfolk Company, 1,000,000/. ; and of the Eastern Union Company, 1,000,0001. The gross receipts on the Eastern Union line for the last year were 111,0001., the gross receipts being about fifty per cent. of that amount. To a member, the CHAIRMAN replied, that in the event of there being any deficiency in the receipts to meet the several claims upon the respective companies, each was to bear its own proportion of the loss. Mr. STUROE said that he had carefully considered the accounts which had been issued, and he believed them to be very correct. From these accounts it appeared that the whole of the amount necessary for paying the interest of debentures, and the dividends of the preference shares, would be 60,0001. a-year, so that there would be a balance of 10,000/. a-year for the general purposes of the company. As for the working stock there was no doubt but that the Eastern Counties Company would for their own sake keep that in working order. The only point that re mained in any doubt was the payment of the out debts of this company. The Eastern Counties Company were to purchase the whole of the present stock, which would give a fund for the paynient of the outstanding liabilities of the comjeany, amounting, as he understood, to 300,000/. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 13. The LORD CHANCELLOR tuns hl6 s eat on the Wi.::olsat:lc at Five o'clock. CASE OF THE BIRDS. Lord CAMPBELL brought in a Bill to simplify the mode of procedure in criminal cases. This Bill was ren dered necessary in consequence of the decision of the Judges in the case of the Births; sa uncertain Wll3 the construction of the law, that in that case on appeal, and after hearing argument, it bad teen found that eight of the Judges had been found to be of one opinion and six of another. In order to make the state of the law cfirtain he had introduced this Hill. AGRICULTURAL DisTmeis. Lord STANLEY presented sevtral petitions com plaining of agricultural distress, aad gave notice that on Tuesday next his Noble Friend Lord Malmesbury would bring forward a motion, drawing the attention of their Lordships to the state of the country. EXTENSION OF COUNTY COURTS BILL. Lord BROUGHAM withdrew the Bill which he had introduced on this rubject, and brought in a second, which met certain objections that had been made to the original Bill. Several petitions were presented by various Noble Lords against the Papal aggression. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid on the table cer tain orders in council, by command ot . her Majesty. ENFRANCHISEMENT OF WOMEN. The Earl of CARLISLE presented a petition from the female inbA2itants of Sheffield, in public meeting as sembled, signed by the: chairwoman on behalf of the meeting, praying for the enfranchisement of women. - PETITIONS. Earl NELSON presented a petition from Chard, in Sonaersetshire, against Papal aggrt ssion. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF CO lIMONS, Feb 13. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. SECOND READINGS. The Birmingham Improvement Bill was read a second On the motion for reading the South Staffordshire Railway (Extension to Burton-on-Trent) Bill, Mr. LABOUCHERE objected to the second reading of the Bill, as containing powers which he thought ought not to be given to any company. He would nut, however, divide the House at present, but content him self with watching its progrt•ss that its provisions might be modified. Mr. HOME had not read the Bill, but after the remarks of the Right Hon. Gentleman, he thought the second reading ought to be postponed, that Members might make themselves acquainted with it. After some discussion the Bill was ordered to be read a second time this day week. The Victoria (Ftedcar) Harbour and Docks Bill was read a second time. PETITIONS. Mr. Alderman COPELAND presented a petition from Staffordshire praying for the repeal of the window-duty. Sir J. Y. BULLER presented a petition from Devon shire to a similar effect. Similar petitions were presented from St. James's, Westminster, by Mr. V. Smi t h ; f rom Bi rm i ng h am , b y Mr. DI untz; from a place in Cornwall, by Sir James Duke; from Finsbury, by Mr. T. Williams. Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from Aberdeen against the slave-trade. Mr. MUNDY presented a petition from South Derby shire against Papal aggression. A great number of petitions were presented from va rious places. Mr. WAWN presented a petition from South Shields, against the Mercantile Marine Bill. Mr. BENETT presented a petition from a place in Norfolk, complaining af agricultural distress. Mr. B. SMITH presented a petition from the Town Council of Birmingham praying for an alteration of the income-tax. Mr. COWAN presented a petition to the same effect from Musselbargh. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented a petition from Bir mingham praying for a repeal of the paper duty. Mr. FELLOWES presented a petition from Hun-. tingdon complainieg of agricultural distress. Mr. PORTAL presented a petition praying for the establishment of county financial boards. Colonel CHATTERTON presented a petition from a place in Ireland complaining of agricultural distress. PAPAL AGGRESSION. Petitions were presented by Sir G. GREY and several other:Membere, against Papal aggression. SIR JAMES BROOKE AND BORNEO. Mr. HUME gave notice that on this day fortnight he should put a question to her Majesty's Ministers, as to whether any measures had been taken for ascertaining the causes which had led to the con flicts on the coast of Borneo. He found by the returns made by Sir James, that upwards of five hundred men had been killed in those conflicts, and he could not per ceive that there was any cause whatever for this sacri fice of life. He should therefore move an address to the Queen, praying for an inquiry into Sir James's conduct. ENCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND) BILL. Mr. M'CULLAGH gave notice that he should on an early day cell the attention of the House to the opera tion of the Encumbered Estates Bill. BARHAM POOR-LAW UNION. Mr. G. BANKES wished to ask the Hon. and Learned Member who' presided over the Poor-law Commissioners whether he had received any communi cation whatever respecting a riot which had occurred at the Barham Union;Workhouse in Dorsetshire. Mr. BAINES .aid that he certainly had received some information respecting a riot which had occured in the Barham Union Workhouse on Sunday night last, when the number of the inmates was unusually great. The rioters were in possession of the union-house for nearly five hours. It was also true that the military bad been called out, but what loss of life or what injury had re sulted irom their interference he did not know. Mr. G. BANKES wished to know whether there were not means for the suppression of these disorders, and for securing those by whom they were principally excited. Mr. BAINES said that the district, of which the union house was the centre, extended to a radius of five miles round it, and he bad ascertained that the parties who were the ringleaders in this outbreak were the same as had occasioned it during last year. In reply to another question, Mr. BAINES gave the number of the paupers at different times, and stated that 78 bad been admitted to the house on the afternoon of Saturday previous ti the outbreak on the Sunday. WORKING OF THE POOR-L IW. Lord JOHN MANNERS wished to risk the Hon. and Learned Member whether he had instituted any in quiries into the state of destitution which prevailed at Carlisle. Mr. BAINES said that he had, and had taken means to rectify the evil. Mr. WAK LEY wished to ask the Hon. and Loaned Member whether be had any objection to lay upon the table the dietary bill for the paupers in Barham Union Workhouse? Mr. BAINES—None at all. COURT OF CHANCERY. Mr. J. STUART wished to ask Lord John Russell whether her Majesty's Government intended to bring in, without delay, a Bill to authorize the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor in the room of Sir James Wigram who had resigned ; and whether the Noble Lord was aware of the enormous expense and distress to suitors for justice in the Court of Chancery, whose comelainis were now stsnding for hearing from the want of a com petent judge to discharge the judicial duties heretotore discharged by Sir James VVigram? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he stated last year that it was not the intention of Government to nominate a second Vice-Chancellor in the event of one of the two offices becoming vacant. He also stated towards the close of last session that it was the intention of the Government to propose a measure for regulating the business of the Court of Chancery, and he had now to add that it was his intention shortly to introduce that measure. —(Hear, hear.). A good deal of additional business had recently been thrown upon the Court of Chancery by maiden Acts of Parliament, a n d therefore, when he introduced this measure he would state to the House the reasons why he thought it was necessary to appoint a second Vice-Chancellor.—(Hear.) RATE IN AID. Colonel DUNNE wished to ask the Secretary for Ireland whether the returns (required by the Act 12 and 13 Vic., chap. 24) detailing the receipts and expenditure of the rate in aid in Ireland, had been laid on the table of the House, this being the tenth day from the meeting of Parliament. Sir W. SOMERVILLE said the return had not ar rived yet, but he expected it by every post. Directly it reached his hands he would lay it on the table. COURTS OF LAW IN IRELAND. ; Mr. WCULLAGEI said considerable excitement had been created in Ireland by a statement which had got abroad, that it was the intention of Government to sup press some of the courts of law in Dublin. Now, such a proceeding would be unjustifiable; but if it were to take place, it was desirable that it should be made known when this system of centralisation and abolition was to commence.—(Hear, hear.) Lord J. RUSSELL rose to order. The Hon. and Learned Member had given notice of his intention to put a question, but now he was going into a long state ment, with the view of casting iroputations on the Go vernment. Now, he submitted that such a mode of pre. ceeding was wholly out of order.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. AMU LLAGH had made no imputations against the Government. He had simpl made a statement of facts.—(C r is s of" O rrle , order. ') Well, then, what he wished to ask this Attorney-General for Ireland was, whether it was the intention of Government to intro duce any measure during the present ar scion for the purpose of abolkhing the office mutter in any and which of the superior couris of Jew io Ir. hied. Mr. HATO:JELL lied to state that it was not th intention of Government to introduce a,oy mi-asure dur ing the present session for ate lishing the thee ie weeter in any of the court, of law.—(Heir. h; ere) After several other remarks by Mr. CAYLEIT, M.P., and other gentlemen, all beaiing on the points previously mooted, a resolution was put, the effect of which was, that in the event of the Eastern Counties Company and the Norfolk Company coming to a similar decision, the directors of this company should be empowered, under proper legal advice, to enter into an amalgamation with those companies. It was carried unanimously, and thanks having been given to the chairman and directors, the meeting was dissolved. , • WOODS AND . FORESTS. Viiieount DUNCAN wished to 11( Lord Jill, Rusrll Whether it was the insenti , n of the G v,rument 'o bring in.a Bill this pession to make he , ti-r provision for the management .of the wo, tor, >l a. anti Jai dri ve toes ! of the Crown, and for the dtriwi , in of public works ai d buildings? Lord J. RUSSELL was understood to reply in the . affirmative His Noble Fri , nd a , the head of Um Woods Flre b t.. had the autject 11,1(4,, ditcwsiien, LILA ; on dot,.ht he would be Carly Prepared .with such a nit..vuie as .at sugg est.'d by the ‘ Noble' Lord.L(Hear, .CUUR OF CHANCERY, ,• t `ri - ART gave ni*ce of hi s inhrntion to intro duce a mes 44 Mr. re fora reform in th , • Cott , t of Chancery. A D JOU I, vN . E D DEBATE ON TILE P A VYAL • AGGRESSION. • • - 'VII. ROCHE, - • - '7, 144 Ifiithe intended W intiVe -00 the Ia reply to Lord J. PUBLIC WOOL SALES. The series of wool sales at the Hall of Commerce com menced last evening, and there was a fair attendance of buyers, several foreigners being present. The quantity of colonial to be offered is about 16,000 bales, including 8,000 of Sydney, 2,000 of Port Philip, 2,000 of Van Diemen's Land, 3,000 of Cape, and 1,000 of Adelaide. The sale last evening comprised 1,302 bales. Aus tralian, 759 bales, sold for cleats sheep's at Is. 3d. to Is. 9d. for samples from Sydney, 100. to Is. 3id. flr locks and pieces, Is. Oid. to is. lid. for lambs, Is. 90. for prime clothing, Is. Bd. for first clothing, is. sd. for hand washed, Is. 4d. for skin, and Is. 6d. to 2s. Id. for two lots of very superior scoured. Port Philip, 171 bales, went at Is sid. to Is. 7d. for scoured, Is. 3id. to Is. 7d. for lambs', Is. sd. to Is. 9d. for clean sheep's, and Is. 2d. to Is. 4d. for broken. Cape of Good Hope, 287 bales, went at lid. for greasy, Is. lid. to Is. 6d. for 'scoured. Van Diemen's Land, 85 bales, realized Is. sid. to is. Bd. for clean sheep's, and Is. 7d. to is. 10d. for lambs', and ls. 4id. to 1.. 91d. for scoured. These prices are considered to be much the same as at the last series. We give the sales to the close of the evening. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Feb. 13. ,Sittings at Guildhall, before the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE and a Common Jury.) SEDUCTION.—DLACKWEL L IP. TAYLOR. This was an action brought by the plaintiff, a carpenter and builder at Rochester, against the defendant, a captain in the Royal Marines, for seduction of the plaintiff's daughter. The defendant pleaded not guilty, and leave and licence. Mr. Sergeant Wilkins appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Humfrey for the defendant. Mary Anne Blackwell, the plaintiff, a very pretty looking girl, deposed that she first saw the defendant at Rochester Cathedral in the month of September, 1849, when he entered into conversation with her. She saw him afterwards on several occasions, when he urged her to make appointments to meet him ; which, to get rid of the annoyance, she did, but did not keep. In the month of October she went with a former acquaintance, a girl named Jane Colville, to Chatham Church, where they met the defendant and a Lieutenant Hunt; and after some conversation, the defendant urged her to accompany him to the barracks, as be bad something of importance to tell her. He had before said he would ask her father for permission to marry her; they all four went together, and came away from the barracks together, when he urged her and Jane Colville to come and dine with him and Lieutenant Hunt on the fol lowing Wednesday. (n that day she was persuaded by Jane Colville to go. Whilst there Lieutenant Hunt asked Colville to go with him to his room to see some pictures, and witless wanted to accompany them, but the defendant pulled her back and locked the door and behaved very rude. She threatened to scream out, when the defendant said it was of no use if she did, as no one would come to her help. He then pushed her into his bed room, and forcibly obtained possession of her person, and afterwards told her not to mention it, as he would marry her. After this, the intimacy was frequently repeated, and ultimately she gave birth to a child ; when she told the defendant she was in the family-way the defendant said he was delighted to hear it, and frequently inade pre sents to her of rings and bloodies, and also a lock of his hair, and wrote frequent letters in which he addressed her as "M y dear Polly.' Shortly before her confinement she asked him to fulfil his promise of marriage, when he replied, " Nonsense, you was not such a fool as to believe I meant it; never mind, you will be Mrs. Taylor as much as ever," and he had pro v id e d everyt hi ng for her confi nement; but that turned out not to be the fact, and all he sent her was 41. The witness was severely cross-examined as to her inti macy with other officers, which she positively denied. Several witnesses were examined as to the virtuous and excellent conduct of th . e plaintiff's daughter previous to this transaction. Mr. HusurßET addressed the jury, and in support of the plea of leave and licence called several officers from Brompton barracks, one a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery, who de posed that he had frequently met the plaintiff's daughter, and made appointments, and that she had visited more than twenty times at his room in the barracks, on which occasion criminal intimacy took place between them. Jane Colville also proved that Mary Ann Blackwell had talked to her frequently of her being in the habit of meeting officers at their rooms. Mr. Sergeant Nirimum, in a most powerful speech in which he charged the last witness as a common harlot, who had been foisted upon the plaintiff's daughter to lure her to her destruction, said he hoped to live to ace the day when the law would be s o a lt ered, instead of an action f or seduction, the seducer would b e treated as a criminal. The Learned J UDGE having summed up,theJurY returned a verdict for the plaintiff Damages, 1501. avIONRY MARKET--The quotation of gold At Paris is 3 per m ill e discount, which, at the English Lint price of 31. 17s. 1041. per ounce for standard gold, gives an ex change of 25 10 ; and the exchange at Paris on Lon, don at short being 25.00, it follows that gold is 0.49 per cent. dearer i n P aris than in London. By advises from Ha. ` ll- burgh the price of gold is 423 per mark, which, at the Eng • fish Mint price of 31. 17s. 104 d. per outic.; for standard gold, , gives an exchange of 13.3% ; and the exchange at Hare. burgh on London at short being 13.5 ] ,-4. it follaws that gold is 0.64 per cent. dearer in London than in Hamburgh. The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at I 60 days' sight is 110 per cent., and the par of exchange between England and America being 1119 23-40 it follows that the exchange is nom i nally 0.67 per cent., r cent. favour of England ; but, after m a ki ng allowancepe for differ- ence of interest and charges o f t ransport, the present rats I yieds no profit on the importation of gold from the U OCI. States. ld adjourned d e b a t e on t h e E cc l es i a tical Titles Bill oboe be made an order of the day for to-morrow. THE BUDGET. In reply to a question from an HON. MENDER, aid he The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQ UER 6 t he should make his finaecial statement on Mo event of the debate on the Ecclesiastical Titles Bui l ' cludit.g to-morrow.—(Laugh,er.) MR. DISH AELI'S MOTION. Sir E. BUXTON inti ma t e d that be was ready trujidej pone his motion on th e Af r i ca n slave trade , P, 01 other Members would d o th e sam e, in order to gib l et to ihe debate on the motion of the Hun. Are s ' • Buekinehainshire. ib PERROGATIVE COURT (IRELAe• IQ) b 13ILo iled A re quest haviug been made to the H um to the (Mr. Keogh) to withdraw his motion with regard introduction of this Bill, Major BERESFORD was understood to exP veJs t opoeeition ro the Bill. Mr. KEOGH wish e d it t o b e enderstood tbs. be bed wi eld not agreed to withdraw that motion. Tee 11°D .:A; M , raiser (Major Beresford) had not thought it b " ,l l ', bad openly oppose the introduction of the 14.11 ; Leu gbler walked up—he woulsi not soy sneaked up• — k edeor and cries of " Order.") He would witto the the observation, but the Hen. Member walked 0 1: 00 10 Speaker's chair and intimated silence his olV ics , the motion.—(Laughter.) The observation 000 vertly made—he s alked up sod intimated his 0 11 ) go by gesture, and no t b y remarks.— Weer, " d ie, so d thought it would have been a more open. c ' i° ' gal manly 'cour s e to h ave state d t h e reaso n of his e d Major BERESFORD sa id h e h a d been kle c ;:geitig sneaking up—(Cries of "No, no.") —he ineen t re belies up—and whispering to the Speaker his di , aPP oloo dist; at the introductio n o f t h e measure . Now II - , 0 0d, actly in the same p os i t i on i n w hi c h be now P`l ice , spoke to the Speaker not certainly in a loud w its qoil o sufficiently loud t o b e h ear d . Th e statement vr unfounded. Tim ti/ir Mr. DISRAELI said b e t h oug ht there was ° veil° apprehension between two Hon. Members. , it i o e Member fur Essex wished to make some opPresetl the Bill, but had refrained from doing so en din; i 0 the occasion, because there was an understan betel House that no business was to be proceeded with e Left the adjourned debate. He hoped the How sal o f P' Member for Athlone would follow the examp le reel of the House. The motion was Vein evithdratele n 16 01) AGRICULTURAL DIS TRESS e- DEBATE. Aloe. 4 The Marquis of GRANBY o pened the IP debate. He thought the Right Hon. Gent le r ° to tb : Chancellor of th e E xc h equer, i n his nesl i el Pe e l ; Honourable Member fur B uc ki ng hamshire , r 060 led into a var i ety o f extraneous m atr rreey I° ,l had nothing to do with the question. deesn, now had five years' exp er i ence in free te a e eg eico t r l i the consequence was th at t h e i n terest °I 10Ib cure had been most seriously damaged' to . country there were gr own 24 . 000,000 c i'd e prec l„ ; wheat per an num, and there had been • 00 0 ' ; tion from 565. t o 38 5., almost 11. p er ,g, er ‘ What did his Ho n . F r i en d want ? He did ,0 forward to dictate any terms to the Ministri,.; s orb t he the measure for free trade, or in any way tt ru k s legislation upon the subject.—(Hear, bear), bertl e ;l came before them to obtain a relief from tu e „...(n which pressed upon the agricultural classes' oren'i cries of p` Hear, hear.") He was, therefore% be te4 at the opposiden with which the motion he n i o rof l : l , by his Right Hon. Friend opposite (the Chan cel Exchequer.) He merely wished to relieve t e o , h e oo.- pi o• tural clases for m i mposts w hi c h had the .4 tolerable.—(Hear, hear.) Looking at 00 We' d deration iu which the terms of this I:un ri fl ed; couched, he did not think that the Ministry e the ) would have the boldness, the temerity, n ei r eg , b r .t r 's ness to meet it with a negative.- - ('''' e we if The only object which his Hon. Friend bad to le , B 10 the relief of British industry. And, o ug ht o at there were to be free trade in anything, t hat f be ' e st be free trade in corn. lie sought for no Milts theme which was to be obtained from a relief Ireor off burdens on agriculture. He had taken t ue bee tt i s ue sible article, th e p ayment f or wh i c h has 1101 (no d p tioned—the ar ti c l e o f labour, and he "" sueee this had been depreciated in an unusual degre e'ooo . 1 1 1 • a degree which was not warranted by the eircupete With It was impessible far the British farmer to cerffleo to the foreigner, for the Baitish labourer had sin or e, upon his tea, his coffee, his malt, and, in. o stair everything that ho consumed, and therefore it e ser4 sible for him- tolive without higher wages I les' tbilu e oa the continent.—(Hear, hear.) The Che D 4 ol pito, Exchequer, in these circumettorces, must fewer ft agriculturists i n a pos i t i o n to compete with t he agriculturists or relieve them f rom their distress.—( lles % that would nut do to tell the agricultural interesl, for were the cause o f t h e i r own Dlisfartu:seat be was not they w h o eata bli s b e d our P". t heree 0 . 01 mercial system. It was founded by I it eh occupied the Treasury benches, 911 : or 511 1:04 1 their bounden duty to restore proteett n , re 700 taxes and local burdens that pressed bes c g e 0 00%0 and the occupi e r s o f l an d.—(H ear, h ear ) Ir g 010 in the amount o f p au p er i sm at i'efichaelln s9 o'oo to be 10 per cent., while the rechteti n te 'e e d price of provisions amounted to 30 per ee o gor- di , wet a curious fact, and to his Mio d ,ristO a conclusive answer to those who said par ia tio o ar minieleed always in an equal ratio wish a re u : for o3 ;s the price of provisions.—(Hear, bear.) Oe n i e tesn a i, occasion he bad accused the Right Hon. Gentle Oris the head of the Poor-law Board with will tll o P er it lag with or doctoring the returns et rilu which came • throught that departpTees% bt o f bs_ Government, bet be begged now, in the Right Hon. Gentleman, to retract c te e t: t e r; ‘ - ; that Ag o. GeD t l (Cheers.) He did not believe the Rig h t e (Ch"e r l i i man was capable of making false re tnr- n - f — ihe but it realty was a pity that the return o sa y of il e e e Board were so much mistified and confused. be f o re r were to him quite incomprelieneible; he a r itvio ' o tio niie othoeuldnaatdiomniatl ti p le a . u e pe rr; i t s u tu rn , sibeuxyhoibuigthiutg the • 0 5e ,. . to be in P eo plef e e i of returns showing how man had b een f on the road, and how many bad b een d ifi He believe by private parties.— (Hear hear) f 00 A/ had such returns before them it would h i e Z in ishr"„' o o free trade had increased rather then de o , l ", e lt (Hear, hear) They had hi and to-night of t" reys s e don of workhouses in Suffolk, and of the, d ist o d V et e existed in some of the manufacturing distrcts, err t ec , one thought that such facts as these proved P 1 064 11 1 „ c „ n cler 00 elusively that the labourer was better o ff -- 00 - ho e den than under free trade.—(Hear, hee r ; ) B fir! . „ - tele, l prefer high prices of corn and high wages. " --- sortg -s (l , "' ever, was that the price of bread did not fa s ll o g i r b ° . f a c u b o te l os t 6 l: 1 with the decreased price of corn. Taking the annual consumption, at 565. the quarter, w°„ 1 0 1 0 10. $ t d,Oe price per pound Id. and a fraction, and taking polln t t es the quarter, would make it about three farthiug s 0 14 ° lb! 14s. 60. per year A family of four persons w,, ° , both 010 less cost of corn, save an expense of 2/.lBs- 2w o 'k,iglbere' labourer's wages were reduced Is. lid. per w i e c i o et, pr ice amount to precisely the same sum, and be io n ie th e ota d fore, in that case gain anything by the reduction el , es 0 0tie d of wheat, but, if his wages were reduced 2s. set e foorlo he a lose-.—( Hear, hear.) Suppose that 1- ,‘ . 7„ it st f eel loaves can be made of a quarter of wheat wh oa s ofl e , o olo 56s the quarter, the price of the loaf is 54not . L'd ie wheat stood at 86s. the quarter the price of tuS ee relmllis be 3id. The price of bread had not, however, 6.1 d• ied this proportion, and he believed it was WI 2 . of 0 1 1 0 Right Honourable G en tl eman ( t h e Chloe" ' 00 10 0 Exchequer) referred to the evidence of Mr. ° v g 0 1 , 6 8 Of stated that the condition of the labourers d lifi e sride m e ;o o / autumn was satisfactory ; but he could refer to 6 0 le a much higher authority, that of the Right Il un „ ol itte e : t itel himself, which he gave before the Salaries' C ° ,7.,„,11 6 ." t ) ; reply to a question put to him on that occoL"' - opeL o 0 ", that no great reduction had taken place i n ' the ethr4P persons holding high offices consequent on tha t ' ll t eefebet duties. He did not think that in the high 016 1,,,jore h cl ' o asc been any diminution of expenses. Taxes were A t hat c ,,," lie said that servants' wages had increased, an d of u" - 4 rent had not diminished. He (the Marquis so ' l s o m wanted to know why the expenses of tleaTe e e r In feg ard a t es ll l creased when the opposite prevailed wit h i mp be d wealthy ? He had now gone through the, rll .7eic . ,b points of the Right Hon. Gentleman's speech - 15000J"0 0 ' upon that of his Hon. Friend the Member for a iry er co§ shire, and replied to them. He had avoided an b in e ' c roLP De ther the manufacturing interest was really in e to 71 t he condition it had been represented in that .", e n b — a te. ;0 1 ' m cause it was foreign to the question u' il - o rrte di e" same time he felt it due to himself, end to t 0 01 000 , which he acted generally in that House. that?: the Pr10,„11' his own conviction that this branch was not Rightlsl - state that it was represented to be by the tbe Gentleman. And he believed that whatever, 1 1 4; ees o ; 00 favourable aspects, it wa s f ast d eprec i a ting. it r tb 0 , time to treat of that subject, he could show O a , i tiOn tl fr which was deserving of the highest consider couro of t he House. This convicti o n was i ncrease d in the t ,„eerb r ite° . present debate by the ne rvous an d hesitatory Chancellor of the Exchequer. If' they could not b sr eceL e ite tion to the landed interest, whether they liked r . ,` l oke ot4 eo' must admit that for any tax they placedsipottare:: tu r d (. 1 ' production an equivalent duty should be Fl ec v oie V et ein% reign. It was in no spirit of hostility to the - atv o d a Russell) that he would say that if he refused tei t est _ e el for the landed interest, at the same time adulittlagublie,l'iest. the P ara le, other interest was in a state of prosperity, come to the conclusion either that lie was not e' es the, de declaration, or that he was determined to 0t,70 1 important in the country, asd that upon who • pended, and that it was the principle of the , damp the industry of the country.—(Cheers.) . _ t or est e Sir J. GRAHAM th en rose, a l ong w ith severale „ id „.l .10 bens, all of whom at once gave wa y to him. Ile t ee • , e 0 ( 0 110 0 . if obliged to the louse for pern.itting me to eeetttg', Marquis who has just spoken. On a former e e , e , at speeches had not occupied so large a portion of e tl ei l'' oo so to e have been my desire to have addressed th .. ., R he fife! bl ie then upon what I conceive to be a question t _ l O o f ! j oy moment, and, considering the present a j un cttli so te, roi i . affairs and the state of parties, to hecl o se ! g eld' opinions without disguise, and with a Fran itT,; ( 4 . to that of the A'S however, that a short time has intervened _7% 0 ali ce oev the question, .because I had much relhl - coo e'er_ s. ite: cases. that a ehort opportunity should be . gl: &I l ea!' tion preference to at once expressing wl , :" liews ),: o Or! isle mayqui,,—(.Hear, hear.) . 000.,,,,500, pressions would lead me to state.—(hea r, ir eolif ie ed 3y , I proceed further I shall, with great pleanl_r b l e martlu o jill or three points in which I agree with the Nob le 0/ 001_„ its just S g t (0 1 . (.. t r o e t i l i i i.: 4 l i ly i j• e i a e n ee b it!: rc i g .te l u :e ' i t : ial t . e t e- 1 1 ;t w ai s ,1 —I way that w.,rd—hrit I ,•ordrall) agree in saying w e !,, e e eon°, o 4 io speech of the Hon. Gentleman who mac , - 1 ,,,.'7 0r ). I " o f tir e ex, mitiery mederetiet, met ding' p le at ;n tg that I .rit prepared to follow the, 7 ,d i ji gPa, at t o i Made ‘la•quk. who t uN,thit• upon two ' 8 o r gy, t"i t uto feat expresseet his opinions witssut ttisgtw e ,l l , 4 egrireo oar great I),.dy ~t wotking (sasses. aiciudingitkaises labeurers, had been gainers by the recerste ''ea sed ' it-cal pike; and next, that it was his slei,w he pod, gar upon reflection, that sooner or later it wouhe el - ie Nolo io let diet to r- to a system of pi oteetioh. tim e s gals enunciated these two p r i nc iples, iv hope soh heel added what was when) unn e cessary, t 11 0 1 76 fritifi,„e* 0;0 0 doiligso he had said nothingeffeni,ve _ „ Q a, DOW I n:1012 i4411e With the Neleletaartfuel Pr I