The Sun. — London, England, 1847-02-18 00:00:00

;%-- ---!. etirro • utiton SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock MONEY MARKET-LATEST -NEWS CITY, THURSDAY, After the regular hours of business this afternoon, Consols were done at 911 -a for this Account, and 9l i for the April Account. TATTEA.SALL'S—THIS EVENING Six o'cLocK. NEWMARKET HANDICAP. 10 to 1 agst Footstool 2,000 GUINEAS STAKES. 6 to 1 agst Conyngham 300 even on the field agst Planet, Glentilt, and Conynghant CHESTER CUP. 20 to 1 agst Mendicant 25 to 1 agst The Lamb 40 to 1 agst Flitch 30 to 1 agst Camera Obscura 30 to 1 agst Antler 40 to 1 agst Duke of Richmond 50 to 1 agst Sir Tatton Sykes 50 to 1 agst Fitzallen 100 to 1 apt The Premier (4 yrs) 1000 to 15 agst Dolo—taken 2000 to 25 agst Sweetmeat—taken 4000 to 50 agst Doleful—taken DERBY. 15 to 2 agst Van Tromp 10 to 1 agst Epirote—taken 12 to 1 agst Planet 22 to 1 agst Glentilt 25 to 1 agst Conyngham 25 to 1 agst Horn of Chase 50 to 1 agst Will-o'-the-Wisp 50 to 1 agst Bedlam OAKS. 15 to 1 agst Miami 16. to 1 agst Nerissa EAST ANGLIAN RAILWAYS COMPANY (LYNN AND ELY RAILWAY). — (THIS DAY.) A special meeting of the shareholders of this company was held this day, at the London Tavern ; Sir W. Fowkes, Bart., the president, in the chair. The SECRETART read the advertisement convening the meeting, for the purpose of confirming, or otherwise, a pro posed agreement, for leasing the Lynn and Ely, Ely and Huntingdon, and Lynn and Derehane Railways, to the Eastern Counties Company, as well as to consider Bills, which are specified in the resolutions. TheCuarnareer said that when the directors had the honor of meeting the shareholders they were empowered to pro pose terms of 74 per cent. to the Eastern Counties Com pany. They (the directors) had not been able to obtain those terms, and they thought it but right to call the attens tion of the shareholders to that subject. A communication had been made te the Eastern Counties Company, proposing the terms of the shareholders, to which no answer was re turned, from which it was quite clear that they did not in tend to accede to their proposition. The terms of the agree ment would be submitted to the meeting. The SECRETARY then read the agreement, which was to the effect that the lease should be for a term of 999 years, to commence on the day when the lines were completed and ready for being opened. That for the first year of the term the annual rent should be such as would pay a clear dividend of 5 per cent. on 884,0001., the amount of the share capital of the three companies, and that for the residue of the term the annual rent should be such as would pay a clear dividend on such share capital less by 21. per cont. than the dividend for the time being, payable on the Eastern Counties share capital converted into 201. shares, lint should in no case be less than U. per cent. The agree ment further stipulated, that the Lynn and Ely, Ely and Huntingdon, and Ely and Dereham proprietors should, until the lease commenced, receive interest at 51. per cent. on all sums paid by them for deposits and calls on their shares from the day when such sums were respectively payable; but that the" Ely and Hunt ingdon proprietors should, on receiving such interest, give credit for the interest already received by them. That the Eastern Counties Company should pay the interest on all moneys borrowed by the Lynn and Ely, Ely and Huntingdon, and Lynn and Dereham Companies, or any of them to the extent of 294,8001., and should indoemily those companies against the re-payment of Such moneys. That the Eastern Counties Company should provide all further money beyond the said capital and borrowed moneys necessary for completing to their satisfartion the works of the three railways, and that the Easter Counties Company should take at cost price the stores belonging to these companies on the day when the lease should commence. The CH/HAMAN—Having heard an abstract of the terms of the agreement, he felt bound, as chairman, to say that these terms were such as they should accept. The Eastern Counties Company would he able to carry on their (the shareholders) line from them at a much less expense than they themselves could, and in a more satisfactory manner. He would submit the first resolution to the meeting. CURTIS seconded the resolution, which was to the effect that the meeting approved of the terms of the a,gree meg and confirmed the same, and authorised the directors' to take the steps necessary to carry the same into effect. Mr. LACY, on being called for, said the opinion which he had expressed as to their throwing away their time by ac cepting the terms proposed remained unchanged. They were, however, placed in cicumstances which rendered it difficult to adopt a course different to that proposed by the directors, and he thought the best thing that could be done was to ac cept those tenni. The CHAIRMAN, in reply to a question, stated that all the lines would be completed at the end of the year. Mr. BUNTINE said he had ascertained that the South- Eastern Company would nut go beyond the terms that they had heard. It was a great disappointment, however, that no more advantageous terms could be obtained. When they looked to the prospectus they found that they had been promised ten per cent. The value of the lead was double what they expected, and the other expenses also had exceeded their expectations. But not only had the laud and the materials they had to use cost more, but their traffic, which was estimated at 2d. per mile, was found now to be at an average of only Id. per mile. Bele, then, they had the misfortune of doubled cost and diminished rate of traffic. Notwithstanding what was alleged about the increase of receipts that would follow from the diminution of the rate of charge, he believed that he could not, on a single rail, carry such an amount of traffic as would pay a remunerating rate of dividend. He would, therefo,e, move that the agreement should be rejected. Mr. GANICROJER seconded the motion. After a few observations from an Honourable Proprietor, in support of the motion, Mr. Menraorr said that, as a merchant of Lynn, he thought that the advantages of their line had been somewhat exaggerated with respect to the coal trade, and he would support the original resolution. The CHAIRMAN said, that he had communications with a large number of shareholders, who, had all expressed them selves fully satisfied with the agreement. - The amendment was negatived, and the original resolu tion carried by a large majority. The CHAIRMAN thought it right to stale that the proxies represented were 5,911. The following Bills were then submitted to the meeting and agreed to without discuession--namely, a Bill to con solidate the three companies into one company, to be called the East Anglian Railways Company; a Bill to enable !the Lynn and Ely Railway Company to extend their railway to Bury St. Edmunds ; a Bill for making a deviation in the line of the Lynn and Ely Railway, and for forming docks within the borough of King's Lynn ; a Bill to enable the Lynn and Ely Railway to make a navigation from Lynn to Woronegay in the county of Norfolk. Thanks were then voted to the chairman and the other directors, and the meeting separated. ELY AND HUNTINGDON RAILWAY COMPANY A meeting of the shareholders of this company was then held; H. C. Lacey, Esq.: president of the board of direetorg fin the chair. , The agreement read at the foregoing meeting was read and confirmed, as well as the resolutions to the same effect as those adopted at that meeting. The Mils were then read, and the meeting separated. LYNN AND DEREHAM RAILWAY COMPANY. This was also a supplemental meeting; H. C. Lacey, Esq., in the chair. The CUAIRMAN said that the agreement which would be read to them had been agreed to at the meeting of the Lynn and Ely, and Ely and Huntingdon Compa nies, but he dissented on both occasions. The SEC:IETARY then read the agreement; and Mr. EVERARD proposed a resolution, to tho effect that the agreement should be adopted. The resolution being seconded, was carried unani modsly. Wile CHAIRMAN, in rely to a question, said, that he thought, if they had not been in such haste in running Into the arms of the South-Eastern Company, they might have made a better bargain; however, it should be remembered that that was a solvent company, re ceiving 11,0001. or 12,000/. a week. Resolutions approving of the several Bills were then agreed to. Thanks were then voted to the chairman and the di rectors, after which the meeting separate(!. SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY COM PANY.-(THIS DAY.) A special general meeting of the proprietars of the South lastern Railway Company was held at one o'clock this day, is the Board-room, London-bridge station, for the purpose of having submitted to them for approval the drafts of the fbliowing Bills, viz.:- 1. A Bill to enable the South-Eastern Railway Company to make a railway to connect the London and Greenwich Railway and the North Kent line of the South-Eastern Railway with the Bricklayers' Arms Branch Railway. 2. A Bill to enable the South-Eastern Railway Company to make a Railway from the South-Eastern, Gravesend and Rochester Railway at Strood, to join the South-Eastern, Canterbury, Ramsgate, and Margate Railway, a t Chilhain, m the county of Kent, with branches to Sheerness and Fa versham Creek. 3 . • A Bill to enable the South-Eastern Railway Company to make I,l.2 i il y way frem the North Kent Line of the South- Eastern to Dartford, , :y at Lewisham to Tunbridge, with branches 4. A BM to v m en a lts, Maidstone, and Paddock Wood. to make a railway e the South-Eastern Railway Company Maid stone to the francsanZraii the South-Eastern Railway at Maid way at Great Chart, near Ashford, in the county of Kent. 5. A Bill to enable the South -Eastern Railway Company to make branch railways t' the North K e nt Li ne o f th e BromSouth -Eastern Railway, nearrn Lewish am , t o C roy d on and ley. 6. A Bill to enable the South-Eastern Railw a y C om pany to make a railway from the Solithaliro:teeen Gravesemt andßochester Railway at Stroud, to 7. A Bill to enable the South - Eastern liaii,y Coilipany to widen the Lo ndon and Greenwic h Rail Wan and to enlarge their London -bridge elation. 8. A Bill for providing increased station accommodation a the terminus of the So uth-Eastern, and Lon don , Brighton, and South Coast Rai lwa y , at or near London-bridge, slid for the arrang em ent thereof. AusLaleo fortbe ,pnrpose of making, extending, and alter !lag lye:lay69,,Loitler.e, and rules for the management (4' the tinclartakiiikabelonging to or iu lease to the South-Eastern - Railway Cornpanp • ' - and also for the purpose of determin in g whether interest at '" - -4 , /hat. ate, shall be paid on the shares of this coin 4nYos,. -- -- lied the No. 3 shares. .' 1341 4 n n vr a t t i izzliythe.,,iincdz , eat :. any, and what rate, shall be i . s ....... THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18, 1847. paid on the amounts paid and to be paid up in respect of the shares of this company commonly called the No. 4 shares. Mr. GREGORY, chairman of the company presided. Mr. FEARON, solicitor, having read the titles, preambles, and marginal notes of the several Bills, The CHAIRMAN then • said, that the projects which they were about to promote in this session of Parliament had all received the approbation of th e s h are h o ld ers, w i t h one s i ng l e exception—that of the Lewisham, Bromley, and Croydon Bill. There had been much public and private discussion with regard to the conflicting interests of the South- Western and London and Brighton and East Coast Junc tion Railway Companies. Statements had been made unwarranted by the circumstances, and it would be his duty to relate these circumstances as they actually occurred. They were aware from the cor respondence which had already been made public, that a conference had taken place, on the 4th November, between a deputation of the South-Eastern Company and the Brighton Company's Board, and misunderstandings having arisen as to what had passed at that conference, in order to pre vent a recurrence of the same error, it was suggested that a short-hand writer should be in attendance at the next meeting. The shareholders had had already a verbatim report of what took place circulated among them, and he should not, there fore, occupy their time with comments upon these proceed ngs. The deputation had had two more interviews since that period with the chairman and Mr. Shuster, of the Brighton Company, and an endeavour was made to bring about an amicable settlement of the differences existing ;between the com panies. In order that the meeting might be aware of what had taken place at these later interviews, he would read to them the draft submitted by the Brighton Company. The Chairman then proceeded to read the terms of the draft which were briefly that the South-Eastern Company should pay for the use of the Brighton Company's line, the sum of 20,0001. for five years; that the Brighton Company should discontinue the promotion of their North Kent projects, the South-Eastern at the same time withdrawing their Lewisham, Bromley, and Croydon Bill; that both companies should enter into an agreement not to make-or support any line hostile to the interests of the other ; that with regard to the enlargement of the London-bridge Station, the arrangement should be left with Messrs. Ste phenson and Cubitt, the engineers, to report thereon; that in the event of the Brighton Company accepting the accommodation of the Bricklayers' Arms Station from the South-Eastern Company, any difficulties which might arise as to the cost of erecting warehouses, or other expenses, should be referred to other and disinterested parities ; that in the event of an amalgamation being decided on between the companies, a term of years (to be agreed upon) should elapse in order that the proportionate amount of capital to be paid by either company should be determined by the amount of traffic on either line, such traffic at the present time not having been fully developed. These suggestions were placed in the hands of the chairman and Mr. Shuster, and they, after some considera tion, returned them with certain amendments, which could not be acceded to by those representing the Eastern Counties Company. This was on Thursday, and on Saturday they met again, and a desire for a settlement of these differences was evinced by all present. It was then suggested by the chairman of the Brighton Company, that the South-Eastern should lease that line. The proposition was well worthy their attention, but it was one on which they had no data on which to found a conclusion_ If any arrangement should be come to which they could safely recommend for the adoption of the shareholders, they would lose no time in convening a special meeting, in order to lay the terms of the agreement before them ; but whether such an arrangement were come to or not, they had the fullest confidence in an impartial hear t:lg before Parliament, and they believed, also, that they had the public opinion with them, that their wants would be better served by their lines. The Lewisham, Brom ley, and Croydon line was one which the directors would have asked the shareholders to sanction, even if they were already united to the Brighton Company. It was a surface line, with good gradients, and would bring the ttaffic of Wool wich, Greenwich, and Gravesend some seven miles nearer to Croydon. It was their duty to recommend the carrying out of this project. He would now move that the shareholders sanction the introduction of a Bill to enable the South- Eastern Railway Company to make a railway to connect the London and Greenwich Railway and the North Kent line of the South-Eastern Railway with the Bricklayer's Arms Branch Rail way. The estimate for this project was 55,0001. The Bricklayers' Arms station had already cost a sum closely approaching to 300,0001., and he believed that this line would, by giving increased traffic, assist in defraying that heavy expenditure. Mr. LEVY said that he had always considered, and had on every occasion stated his opinion, that the Bricklayers' Arms station would turn out, as it had done, a failure; and unless assured by the chairman that there was a legitimate ground for believing that the scheme now proposed would amend matters, he should oppose the introduction of the Bill. The CHAIRMAN admitted that the Bricklayer's Arms Sta tion had entailed a heavy expense upon the company; but matters were beginning now to assume a brighter aspect, and they should not so much look to the past as to the future. The station would be found really useful in times coining, as that at London Bridge was so circumscribed, and he believed that the line now proposed would be a really healthy adjunct to it. Mr. CASH hoped the line would pass unanimously. The motion was then put and carried. The CHAIRMAN then put the other projects seriatim to the meeting, and, after some remarks from the shareholders in different parts of the room, they were carried unanimously. It was also moved and carried that 5 per cent. interest should be paid on the shares of the company, commonly called the Nos. 3 and 4 shares, respectively. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the meet ing broke up. WATERFORD, WEXFORD, WICK LOW, AND DUBLIN RAILWAY.—(THIS DAY.) The aojourned meeting of the shareholders was held at the offices, 449, West Strand ; L or d C ourtown i n t h e c h a i r. Mr. SLADE, one of the scrutineers, then announced the re sult of the poll, yesterday, to be in favour of the re-appoint ment of the former directors ; majority 16,833 shares and 1,620 votes. The report further stated, that certain proxies tendered by Mr. Boyce subsequently to the last meeting had been rejected. Mr. DICKSON questioned the propriety of this rejection. The CIMIRMAN said such a discussionwould be quite irre levant, and declared the directors' list carried. Mr. Pinny protested against the report of the scrutineers bein' , received, and intimated that the rejection of the proxies would form the basis of future proceedings at law. The CHAIRMAN moved that the directors should be em powered to apply to Parliament, during the present session, for a Bill amending last year's Act, in reference to the space between the 45th and 49th miles of the line, and such parts of the Act as restricted the compulsory purchase of land, till all the shares should be taken up, and to enable the company to pull down the Ferry Carrig-bridge, over the Slaney, and build a new one. Seconded by Mr. LEWIS. Mr. PERRY moved that the directors should be empowered to go to Parliament fora Bill dissolving the Waterford,Wex ford, Wicklow, and Dublin Railway Company. The Hon. Proprietor then read a printed draft of the proposed Bill. Dr. GRAY seconded it. Mr. HAYTEI, M.P., considered that such an amendment could not be put, no notice having been given in the adver tisement making the meeting special for the purpose. Mr. PERRY handed in his motion, and begged it would be noted by the secretary. Mr. REYNOLD moved an amendment negativing the motion. The CnAmmax put the amendment and the original mo tion, and declared the latter ca rr i e d. A poll was demanded, and Messrs. Slade and D. W. Harvey were appointed scrutineers ' the poll to remain open till six o'clock thi s even i ng, and the meeting to stand ad journed from that hour till eleven o'clock to-morrow. MADRAS RAILWAY COMPANY MEETIN G.—(T iIIS DAY.) A general meeting of the proprietors of the Madras Railway Company took place this day, at the offices of of the company No. 2, Winchester-buildings. Colonel Duncan Lim in the chair. The SECRETARY road the following report, which was unanimously adopted. The following is the substance of the report:— " The directors of this company have still to direct their inability to inform the shareholders, that any material progress has been made in forwarding the objects of the company, since the last half-yearly meet ing. On the 3d of September last, a letter was ad dressed to the secretary of the court of directors of the East India Company, with a request that the same might be submitted for their consideration. "No reply having been received to this communica tion, another letter was addressed to the India House, on the 26th of November last. " Not having received any answer, the chairman and secretary waited on the Chairman of the East India Company, at the India House, on the 14th ult., with a view, if possible, to ascertain the sentiments of the Court: it was suggested, at this interview, that the attention of the authorities at the India House should again be called to the subject, and, in consequence, another letter was sent to the India House on the 29th ult. " No reply has been received to this letter up to this time ; but, from private inquiries made by the chairman, it is understood that the following is the present state of the ease:— " From statements which have appeared in the public papers, it is generally known, that the authorities at the India House, and the Board of Control, have offered certain encouragement for the construction of a line of railway to connect Calcutta with the north-west frontier of the Bengal territories : from a state ment made in Parliament by the President of the Board of Control, it appears that it is not yet decided whether the company, or companies, to whom this offer has been made, will accept it, or not; as the directors consider that our line deserves a preference over any other, of the same extent, that can be made in India, they deem it advisable to await the result of the negociation now pending, between the Government, and the Bengal lines, rather than to press for an immediate decision, which perhaps might not, under existing circum stances, offer to the shareholders a sufficient induce ment to go on with the line. " The directors are in daily expectation of hearing the issue of the negotiation with the Bengal lines. And as soon as they can ascertain the effect of that upon the prospects of the Madras Railway Company, they will lose no time in calling a special general meeting of the shareholders, for the purpose of laying the same before them ; and offering their opinion as to the advisability of proceeding with the line or taking steps to wind up the company." The following is an abstract of the letter sent by the directors of the East India House : " The grounds upon which it is considered that the Madras and Arcot line is entitled to the support of Go vernment are the following : " Ist. Great facility of construction. " 2d. A confident expectation of its proving a remu nerative undertaking. "3d. That the risk incurred by Government in guaranteeing a dividend upon it, wilt, in consequence, be little more than nominal. "4th. That the construction of a paying line of such modetate length, as may render its completion within a short period probable, will be of the utmost importance in its bearing upon the future extension of railways in " sth. That the advantages to be derived by Govern ment from this line, both in a financial, and political point of view, will far exceed those which will accrue from its construction to the shareholders, as a commer cial investment. " 6th. That the Presidency of Madras, which has no means of water-carriage, for the transport of the produce of the in:erior to the ports of shipment., is so situated as to derive the utmost conceivable advantagca from the in troduction of railways. "From the inquiries of the provisional committee at Madras, it appears, that the cost of this line, constructed in the most substantial manner, with a single line of rails, and a roadway capable of admitting a double line hereafter, would not exceed 4,6501. per mile ; the opinion of Mr. Simms is, that, although he thinks this line might be made for 500,0001., or about 7,000/. a mile, yet he considers that, in prudence, the capital should be axed at 600,000/. "2d. The grounds upon which the expectation that this line will be remunerative rests, have already been laid before you in my letter of the 23d of May last. It is there stated, that the immediate traffic which would come on the line would yield a net income of about 16,0001. per year, exclusive of mails ; and this would be sufficient to pay a dividend of 5 per cent. on the capital which we have estimated as sufficient to make the line at the rate of 5,0001. per mile. All ex perience, warrants the assumption that the traffic upon a railroad judiciously situated, goes on increasing in a ratio to which no limit has yet been assigned ; it is im possible for any line in any country to be more favour ably situated ; it is the road by which a very large pro.. proportion of the whole produce of the interior must pass to the only considerable shipping port on the coast, and there never can be any line of road, or water, to compete with it. Upon these grounds, then, we think that the capital invested in the construction of this line may be expected to yield a return of from 10 to 15 per cent. when its effects upon the commerce of the country shall have been fully developed, and the probability is, that, before the expiration of a year, the profit available for a dividend would amount to full 5 per cent. upon the capital estimated to be necessary by Mr. Simms. "If India is to have railways, it appears to be of the greatest importance that the first undertaking of the kind should be one that may soon be in action, and that it may be a paying line. The Madras and Arcot line is of a sufficient length to demonstrate, in the fullest manner, the results of the system in India. It is twice as long as the Liaerpool and Manchester line ; the results of the construction of which led to the enormous development of the system, accomplished, and now in progress in this country. It is not so long as to: require the expenditure of a very large capital before it can be brought into actual opera tion. There is, probably, no proposed line, of equal ex tent in India, that could be constructed in so short a time, and at such a moderate cost; and as there can be little doubt of its yielding a remunerative return from the date of its being opened, its influence upoa the future extension of the railway system, in other parts of India would be of incalculable importance. " Of the advantages of railroad to Government, in a polhical point of view, it is quite impossible to form a pecuniary estimate ; but upon this ground ; the line from Madras to Arcot, leading, as it does, to all the principal military stations within that Presidency, can be considered as second in importance to no line throughout India. "Of the three Presidencies in India, the territories under the Government of Madras are by far the worst off, for the means of internal transit of . produce. There is a considerable grain trade coastwise; but so little available is this for equalising the effects of failure of the crops, that famine is constantly recurring in some part or other of th e M a d ras p rov i nces ; there is no means of water-carriage to any extent worth speaking of, for any of the produce from, or into the interior of the country ; and if ever means of transport are to be provided in that part of India, it can be assuredly be done by railroads, in a more effi cient manner than by the construction of common roads." The following is an abstract of the account, which was received with great satisfaction. Dr. s. d. To balance from last half-year 7,938 0 3 Calls paid and interest. Balt year's interest received from Lon don and Westminster Bank.. 113 8 6 8,130 6 10 CR. By postages, salaries, and stationery £l36 4 10 Office expenses, rent, advertising, and registry Balance carried to next half-year's account 7,841 4 7 £8,130 6 10 A vote of thanks was then passed unanimously, and meeting separated. SOUTHAMPTON DOCK COMPANY (THIS DAY.) The half• yearly meeting of the proprietors of this company was held to-day, at the offices of the company, 19, Bishopsgate-within, Mr. G. E. Pratt, Barlow, in the chair. The Secretary having read the advertisement calling he present meeting, and the minutes of the last meet no., proceeded to read the report, from which we give .he following extracts : "In submitting the accounts for the half-year ending 31st December last, the directors have much pleasure in. calling the attention of the proprietors to the continued and steady increase of their business, exhibited by the comparative statement of the half-year receipts for the last three years, and by the return of the aggregate amount of tonnage of the shipping which entered the docks during the past year; the amount of tonnage' which entered the docks in 1845 having been 158,680 tons; in 1846, 228,777. t h " The revenue Recount shows a surplus, which. in the opinion of the directors, warrants their submitting to the meeting the propriety of declaring a dividend, clear of income-tax, of one pound per cent. for the half year (ten shillings per share), being at the rate of two per cent. per annum. After payment of this dividend, the revenue account will still retain a credit of 1,5144 15s. Sd. It will be for the meeting to determine whetber it is not desirable to begin to make a return upon the capital of the proprietors by declaring an immediate dividead, though small, in preference to awaiting a postponed one of larger amount—and to deal with this question as it may think fit. " The directors have to report that they have executed an agreement with the Commissioners of her Majesty's Customs, to 'build on the Dock Company' s land, and lease to the Crown for twenty-one years,fa Custom-house on an enlarged scale ; an arrangement affording greatly increased facilities and accommodation to the trade e.f the port of Southampton generally, as well as to that carried on through the company's docks. A contract has been entered into with Messrs. Baker and Son for the comple tion of tle, work by the 30th June next ; and the build ing is in rapid course of construction. " The dry dock has been in constant work, and has proved a most important addition to the accomodations of the company's docks ; but already since the (Tailing, the Oriental Cempany have been obliged to send two of their large steamers to Cowes to be repaired, in conse quence of the dry dock having been at the time occu pied by other vessels ; and it is apparent that a second dry dock could be advantageously :employed is afford ing accommodation to the smaller class of stew niers and sailing vessels, and thus render the large dock (now at times unprofitably occupied by small vessels, to the exclusion of the large steamers,) more available for the first-class steam ships which frequent the Southamp ton Docks. The Directors propose, therefore, to place by the side of the other a smaller dock of much cheaper construction, which, it is expected, may be completed by the month of November next ; and they have reason to believe that both docks will be fully occupied, and will afford a fair return on the capital expended on them. " The directors have not lost sight of the important advantages which will result to the Dock Company from the extension of the South-Western Railway to London bridge, for which extension an Act was obtained during the last session of Parliament, and which they have reason to believe will be carried out with all passible expedition. " The directors propose to secure suitable warehouse accommodation, with a water frontage contiguous to the London bridge terminus of the South-Western Railway, and thus realize the object they have long had in view, of being able to offer to merchants the option of housing such portion as they may think fit of their cargoes in the Company's warehouses at Southampton, and the remainder in London ; and of transferring their goods from one to the other by a railroad running from the doors of the warehouses at Southampton, to those of the warehouses at London-bridge. The Directors contemplate including in this arrangement the removal of the London office to the London-bridge terminus, and thas, by means of the railroad and electric telegraph, place the London establishment and warehouses a the company in direct and immediate communication, with their docks and warehouses at Southampton. " The directors have the satisfaction to repor ~ that the boring for water in the docks has been attended with complete success, and that an abundant supply of pure qbap f r ynui epdas Pipes watertsothisreteyo company noon n atfdo ppt h thauh a ner s been le eyewhfwhrotoei ll voooeworfrrfeayethttvpchse quaysobtained eurhertytrthirenvtapl a getyo t srmtab a ehe ap d avr e tee p pb t ha h eerere o nd f bl eat2roi2at ;town; sh report, asked the ke b eemareieefqtaiunni meeting gentle e. reso lution' n ' ti e ho for man was desirous to make any observations, or tio ask any questions on the points referred to in it? A PROPRIETOR then asked what per centago tine dry dock paid? The CHAIRMAN observed, that it had been only' open for a period of six months, and there hal been; two large ships that had entered and had not been ch nrgod, but the amount it paid for that time was 4 per cent. He should say that the most expected from it was 5 per cent., and, in conjunction with the small dock, it was expected that it would be a great deal more. The great importance, however, of the dock NI as to afford facilities of accommodation, and to bring addi tional trade to Southampton. Another PROPRIEToIt asked what had become of the agreement with Mr. Pileher. The CHAIRMAN said that that agreement was :still in abeyance. A PRO,•FIETOR wished to draw the attention tof the Chairman to a paragraph in the report, which saye that, " The directors have further to report, that the have entered into an agreement to erect on the Dock Com pany's land, and lease to the Royal f item Packet Company, workshops on a large scale for the repair of their ships and machinery." Now, he was desirous to know if any agreeme t.t had been made with the Royal Mail Steam Packet COI tipany for a definite term, as it would be desirable to fix them, as had been done so advantageously with the G-I,vern men t. The CHAIRMAN observed that there was a lune for twenty-one years. Several other questions having been put, and an: rwered satisfactorily, The CHAIRMAN then put the motion that the report be adopted and circulated, which was unanii nously agreed to. - The CHAIRMAN then put the next resolution : "that the dividend mentioned in the report, of 103. pei ? share for the half year, should be declared, and that tht IP same be paid ou the Ist March proximo." A PROPRIETOR asked, before the resolution was put, whether from the past proceedings and future prospect of the company, they might expect that such a dividend as that now proposed would be continued in future half years ; otherwise he thought it was a matter for consi deration whether they should not decline making any dividend at present. The CHAIRMAN said it would not be prudent in the directors to pledge themselves to future dividends, but if they had not anticipated a probability of that amount at least, or perhaps a larger, and they would not have pvoposed the present dividend.—(Hear.) A conversation ensued as to the working of the com pany, and the advantages to be anticipated from the railways to Southampton, in progress and projected. The resolution was then unanimously agreed to. A vote of thanks was then given to the auditors, Chairman, aad directors, and the outgoing directos were re-elected. The meeting then separated. PETITIONS ON PRIVATE BILLS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. —(THIS DAY.) (Room 22, before Mr. Examiner Smut) UNOPPOSED LIST. The cases numbered from 321 to 339 inclusive in the general list were disposed of to-day by Mr. Smith. The standing orders were complied with in each case. They were as follows : Caledonian Railway (Purchase or lease of Wishaw and Coltness Railway). Wilsontown, Morningside, and Coltness Railway (Branches to Benham Coal Works). Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway (Devi ations, &c.) Strathtay and Breadalbane Extension Railway. Glasgow and Shotts'-road Act Amendment Thorne and Crowle Moor Drainage and Improvement. Colchester and Stour Valley, Sudbury and Halstead Rail way. (Purchase of Stour Valley Navigation). Dublin and Drogheda Railway (Amendment of Acts and Purchase of Navan Branch Railway). Southwark Improvement. Ross, Cromarty, and Nairne District Road Act. Aberdeen Improvements. Worcester Improvements. Shrewsbury and Chester Railway (New Branches). East Lothian Central Railway. Cork and Bandon Act, 1845 (Amendment of and Devia tion). Cork, Blackrock, and Passage Amendment Act. There were no opposed cases in Mr. Smith's list to-day. (Room 23, before Mr. Examiner MAY.) OPPOSED CASE. EDINBURGH AND NORTHERN. Mr. May was engaged the whole of the day in hearing the allegations in this opposed case. Several of them were sus tained, but the inquiry had not terminated when the exami ner rose. IMPERIAL PA RLIAMENT. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The Earl of SHA.FTEEIBURY took his seat upon the Woolsack at Five o'clock. DISTILLING FROM SUGAR BILL. The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from the landed proprietors, farmers, and others of Dunferm line, against the use of sugar in distilleries; also a peti tion from the county of Forfar to the same effect. POOR REMOVAL ACT. The NOBLE DUKE also presented a petition from the Board of Guardians of the Cardigan Union against the Poor Removal Act of last session. Lord VIVIAN presented a petition from the Boar' of Guardians of Swaffham Union to the same effect. DISTRESS IN IRELAND. Earl MOUNTCASHEL presented a petition from Kilkenny (as ‘‘e understood), supplicating the attention of their Lordships to the famishing state of the poor of Ireland, and earnestly praying them to devise immediate remedies. rumour that the prisoners were about to escape, they were taken out of the frigate, and placed on board a small brig-of-war, and the Portuguese Govern ment came to the resolution to send the officers to Angola, on the coast of Africa, one of the most unhealthy places on the coast of Africa. In their passage to that place, they endured the greatest hardships, being crammed into a less opener than even that which was allotted for slaves in the slave•vesseis. He believed, that though the fleet was there for the pro tection of British interests, the officers in common would, if the division under Count Bomfin had been successful, have covered the embarkation of the Queen's forces, and protected them from any injury that might have been offered to them. If; then, protection was to be given to that side, he thought that they were bound to see that the cor vettes to which he had adverted should be protested against, lest the feelings of the country should be ex cited against the Queen's Government. In order, there fore, to preserve their neutrality, the British Govern ment should exert their influence, before those officers perished, to induce the Portuguese Go vernment to revoke the decree against them, and to place them in the :same position they ought to have been after they had surrendered, namely, as prisoners of war. As some impatience had been manifested by the Noble Lord opposite (Lord Brougham) he would not detain the House longer, but proceed to ask the Noble Marquis whether any corre spondence had passed between the Portuguese Govern ment -and her Majesty's Government relative to these circumstances, and, if so, whether any steps had been taken by this Government with respect to them. The Marquis cf LANSDOWNE said the question was one of considerable importance, and ono which he was most desirous, and he trusted able, to give him and the House a satisfactory answer. Before giving that an swer, however, he could only express that regret which he felt in common with the Noble Lord and the House, that the country to which he had alluded should be in a state to give rise to transactions to which the Noble Lord had so pointedly, and not impro perly, adverted. He regretted that that country which was connected with this by so many ties—so much community of interest—so many historical relations and recollections—should be in tho state which Portu gal was in at the present moment.—(Hear.) And it would be a matter of the deepest satisfaction if any effort on the part of this country, if even par partially applied, could promote an amendment of that state of things. As their Lordships well knew, in the course of last year an insurrection broke out in Portugal, which had assumed most decidedly the character of a civil war, in the course of which, from the opposition not only of particular factions, but of particular families, which was deeply to be deplored, and which were apt, on too many occasions, to exceed those limits, and those rela tions which generally subsisted between nations, considerable animosity was excited. A body of persons were taken with arms in their hands, and made pri soners, on the understanding that they would be treated as prisoners of war. A great num ber of this party consisted, he understood, of principal offices, and numbering about 40, were placed aboard a small brig in the bay of Lisbon, for the pur pose of being transported to'Africa, but many of them were too unwell or too sick to undergo the voy age, and a representation was made to that effect. by the captain and the surgeon to the Government. From the moment the conduct of these persons was made known in Lisbon, great interest was excited, and her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires, Sir G. Seymour, who ar rived immediately after the resignation of Lord Howard, as well as the representatives of the French and of the Belgians, who acted separately, made similar representations, and he (the Marquis of Lans downe) hoped that these representations would not be without avail, and that they would 'be sent to a more unexceptionable place than Africa. He was in a rendition to state that that was the case ; but he entertained a confident belief that the destination of the ships had been altered, and that their prisoners would be se sent to a place less fatal to their health, and more consonant with their position. lie had been informed that in no instance had anything like adequate punishment been inflicted, and he argued, therefore, that the sentence would be re versed, which would be a source of great satifaction to her Majesty's Government—who had sent a force to Oporto and the Bay of Liehon—but their object in sending that force has been in no way to interfere in the contest, but to afford protection to British enterprise. It would be a satisfaction to that force, if they were also enabled to give a refutation to such persons as were in danger of their life and it would be above all, their duty to give protection to the Queen. if she would require it, as long as the contest lasts. Maintaining the character which it now holds of a civil war, it could not be the inclination of her Majesty's Government actively to interfere, nor was there, under any existing treaty, a justification for their so doing, but circumstances might assume a different character, and if Don Miguel, or a party acting for him should appear, a new state of things would arise, which would revive former treaties. Such a course might strengthen the Portuguese Govern ment, and tend to allay the existing dissensions. It must be the earnest wish of this country to see peace established in that country, at present so much disturbed. The Earl of ABERDEEN said that he was not quite satisfied with the course to be pursued by her Majesty's Government. It must be the desire of every person, as much as possible, to m iti ga t e t h e ca l am i t i es attendant upon a war, and therefore it was perfectly praiseworthy and necessary that all persuasions should be used to produce .a humane and merciful conduct on the part of these persons. But if the Noble Marquis had made up his mind to make an official representation from the Government of this country to the Government of Portugal on the subject. He (the Earl of Aberdeen) begged to differ from him. As far as private solicitation and perst *don, and personal influence could be employed there could be no ob proper which adopt, jection ; but if on ce , i n a contest o f t h' s descrip don, the Governm en t should officially interfere with o t t hlpienlek precedento coursef chate lis b m ph a might had a dangerous, Portuguese greiatt vras aul objection. to to es Government might be stated to the credit of the Portuguese Govern ment, that in the various disturbances which had taken place of late years in that country, there had been very little cruelty exercised, and there was very little appearance of a sanguinary disposition in any parties That furnished a very strong contrast to the people of the neighbouring nation, where they had seen acts of vengeance and bloodshed committed on all sides. An other reason why the Government should be particularly cautions at present in any interference of that description was—he knew not how it had arisen—but the belief was strong and general in Portugal, that the cause of the insurrection possessed the good wishes of her Ma jesty's Government. He could not believe that to be the case, but he believed it to be indisputable that the persuasion of the generally of the people in Portugal was such, and therefore it was incumbent upon her Majesty's Government to be very cautious in any act that might lead to confirm that opinion. The Government undertaking to protect the lives and property of British subjects, and the personal safety of the sovereign was a legitimate course ; but he submitted that th e nava l force in the Tagus, was more than sufficient for that purpose. That force was overwhelming, and he did not know the cause of it, but from the feeling regarding it which pre vailed in Portugal, it seemed to strengthen the belief which he had referred to. Several years the Government of this country had taken an active part to place the present Queen on the throne of Portugal, and having done so, he thought they would be justified in supporting the Government with that moral force which would at least convey the impression that they disapproved of the insurrection, instead of appearing to countenance it. One party of the insurgents were against the monarchy, and in favear of the republic, and the other were supporters :of des potic power. He thought the presence of the large fleet at present in the Tagus gave countenance to the insurrection, whereas it might be made to operate otherwise anti in favour of the Queen's Government. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE replied that the anxious wish of her Majesty's Government was to main tain the Queen on the throne, and he knew not of any act that gave evidence to the contrary. He defied any one to point out a single instance wherein they had countenanced the insurrec tion. The Noble Earl must he aware that it would occasion the greatest dissatisfaction if it were known that the Government supported one side in preference to another. Undoubtedly rumours such as those referred to may have circulated, but they were false rumours. It was not, however, on the Queen's side alone that such rumours prevailed, but on the other side; it had been surmised that the leaning of this Government was in favour of the Government of the Queen of Portugal. He did not wish to pronounce an opinion on the dis mbuitnisttherias or r he to was e E b n ou vo n y d to ay, sent to that a t that act country, terrye, ghat had been no inst ruc ti ons to the admiral, to the t sensions that at pres en t preva il ed in that country, had not for their object the preservation of a perfect impartiality, and in any advice re spectfully tendered to the Portuguese Government the object had been to conform strictly to these in structions, and such friendly councils could only have been given with the view of proving that the English Government would not in the slightest degree, either directly or indirectly, lend its snpport or influence to the insurgents. It had been thought expedient that (under circumstances such as those which existed in Portugal) a squad ron supererior to that any other power would be likely to send, should be placed in the Tagus, for the preservation of the interests of England; her but the officer who had been appointed to the h. command was not only one of the most able in jesty's s erv i ce , b ut one remar k a ble for judgment, his dis cretion, and the care with which he carried out instructions. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Feb. 17. (Before the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE.) FOSTER V. IRELAND. This was an action for the recovery of certain sums due for commission for the superintendence of certain buildings at Walworth. Mr. Montague Chambers appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Sergeant Byles for the defendant. It was shown in evidence that the plaintiff had been engaged to make plans for two cottages at Walworth, the amount of the expenditure being restricted to 4001.; but the plaintiff brought in a plan which would involve the spending of more than 600/. On that account tthe services of the plaintiff were repudiated, and it was now sought to recover the amount for the work actually done. The defendant had no objection to pay it; but the damages ought to be limited to that point. From the documents submitted to the Court, it appeared that the charge made would give 441. 10s. to the plaintiff. There was a commission beyond this for a few pounds, but the whole amount did not exceed 5/. or 61. On these grounds the Learned Sergeant submitted that a verdict should be given for his client. The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE summed up, and the jury returned a verdict for 1941. 4s. 6d. OLICE INTELLIGENCE, WORSHIP-STREET. Yesterday Mr. BROUHTON resumed the adjourned investi gation into the conduct of police-constable Charles Andrew Amos, of the II division, who stood charged with having grossly assaulted, and unlawfully taken into custody, a young woman named Ellen Bolton, on the night of the 10th inst., under circumstances which were stated in our paper a few days since. Mr. Medlicott, the superintendent of the division, was present to watch and report upon the case, and Mr. Heritage was retained for the defence. The evidence given upon the former occasion having been read over by Mr. Vine, the chief clerk, the complainant, Ellen Bolton, and her witness, Jano Reeves, were subjected to a severe cross-examination by the defendant's solicitor, and fully corrobated each other in the main facts of their previous statement; but, upon being further questioned differed most materially upon several essential particulars of too indelicate a nature to b e di s ti nct l y d eta il ed, and which carried the assault to a much greater and more gross extent than had been before sworn to. The witness Reeve added that upon the officer being balked in his desiglis upon Bolton, he used towards her the most insulting language, and not only ordered her off, but rushed her along by the back with great violence, until she threatened to report his previous misconduct at the police-station, when he at once took her into custody. The witness followed the con stable and Bolton to the door of the station, with the intention of givin g ev id ence i n f avour of the com plainant, but was prevented doing so by Amos, who told her she was not wanted there; and, although she next morning requested the officer on duty there to take care of Bolton, who was subject to fits, she was not admitted to see her. Bolton herself also stated, that she felt so much hurt at the insults to which she had been subjected, that she was in tears all the way to the station-house, on her arrival at which she communicated to the inspector on duty the fact of her having been ill-treated, but was prevented making a full dis closure of the particulars f rom th e precipitancy with which the charge was taken, and she was locked up in the cells. Sergeant Coleman, the acting inspector at the time, was then called and stated, that on Bolton being brought to the station she was certainly not crying, as she had stated, nor did she bear the appearance of having previously done so; and that although she complained to him that the policeman had offered her money to accompany him down the court, she said nothing of the gross acts of indecency alleged to have taken place, although she had ample opportunity of doing so. The sergeant added (as indeed the women them selves had acknowledged), that both the complainant and her friend were common prostitutes, and lodged at the house of a man named Sheen, which was the resort of the lowest characters in the district. Mr. Heritage addressed the Magistrate at great length on behalf of his client, who had instructed him to deny in the most decisive manner everything that was alleged against him, and to whom a conviction on such a charge would be little short of destruction ; and after pointing out the dis crepancies which appeared in the statement of the two women, said that he was necessarily precluded by the very nature of the case from offering any direct evidence to rebut their testimony, but should call numerous witnesses he had in attendance, who would give as strong a refutation of it as the circumstances would admit of. The Learned Gentleman then called— Police-constable Galavin, 73 11, who stated, that while going the round of his section, at half-past twelve on the night in question, he came updn the defendant's beat in Well-street, Mile-end, and saw him desiring the two women Bolton and Reeve, who were using most disgusting language in a loud tone of voice, to go away quietly. Witness also desired them to go home, and Reeve persuaded Bolton to do so, but they still kept repeating the same filthy ex• preesions through the length of several streets, and witness left Amos and them together, Amos telling him that he should be obliged to lock them up, "they were going on so." The women were surrou n d e d by a la rge crowd of persons, whom their conduct had collected, but whose pre sence did not stop their disgusting language. Witness was not present at the commencement of the transaction, and could not, of course, speak as to what might previously have taken place. Green, 61 11, also deposed to the utterance of this language by the women, and to his own interference and telling them, as they were making a great disturbance, t hat if they had any complaint to make they should go away quietly and lodge it at the station-house. Mary Webb and Martha Walbank, two married women living in Anne's-court, Well-street, the scene of the alleged outrage upon the person of the complainant, stated, that they were both up on the night referred to till long after the time at which the offence was stated to have been committed by the constable, and that they heard no cries for assistance whatever, or struggle, or noise of any description, and that if there had been they must have heard it, 83 the court only contained four houses, was very quiet, and was not a thoroughfare. Richard Graves, a tradesman at the corner of the court, gave precisely the same testimony as to no screams or remonstrance having been uttered at the time spoken to, and, as his shop was not closed till a quarter past one o'clock, had any woman been so ill-treated, she had an opportunity of procuring assistance or complaining, and no one did so. Mrs. Elizabeth Hodge, the wife of a pewterer, also stated that while a male customer was making some purchases at her shop in Old Montague-street, about the time in question, the man was most grossly insulted by two women outside, although lie had never seen them before, and who uttered such foul language towards him that it was impossible for her to repeat it. Mr. Wellesley Medlicott, the superintendent, Inspector Ellis, Sergeant Teakle, and Alderman, the gaoler, were then called as witnesses to character, and all described the de fendant as an exceedingly well-conducted, promising, and pains-taking young man, who was very anxious to perform his duty correctly, and who had kept his beat, which was the resort of prostitutes of the lowest order, more peaceable than ithad ever previously been. Alderman had know him before he entered the force, when he was in business for himself, and both he and his friends were respectable. He was also a married man, with one child, and his wife was the daughter of a tradesman in the neighbourhood. Mr. Heritage said he could calla number of other witnesses to the same effect, but considered it useless to do so. Mr. BROUGHTON said that this wasundoubtedly a question of much importance, both as regarded the administration of justice, the conduct of the police force in general, in which, if the charge were established, it must go a great way to shake the public confidence, as had been Justly stated else where, and the defendant himself, who, if the statement of the women were true, had been guilty, if of anything, of an attempted violation, followed by gross perjury, for which any judge who tried him must sentence him to transportation ; for the moral status of the women offered no extenuation of the offence, and a case was upon the books in which two soldiers had been tried and executed at Exeter for a rape upon a prostitute. The Learned Magistrate then went care fully through all the facts of the case, end the evidence bear ing upon them on both sides, and after commenting upon the important discrepancies in the woman's evidence, and the improbability that an officer should attempt such an offence in full uniform, by which he could be so easily identified, and with the knowledge that the other woman was close at hand, and that he might be momentarily detected by one of his superiors while going their rounds, concluded by saying, "It the evidence of thiSse two women had been consistent in its chief particulars, or corroborated :by other impartial testi mony, I should certainly have felt it my duty to send the defendant for trial for perjury, when, good though the cha racter may be that he has hitherto borne, I have no hesita tion in saying that it would have very little weight in the sentence; but, after taking every pains that I possibly could in sifting and investigating this matter in all its bearings, I must express it as my opini o n th a t t h e ev i dence of the women, with such manifest contradictions, is not such as any jury or magistrate can safely depend upon, and under those circumstances I shall order the defendant to be dis charged." The case, which was not over till a late hour, excited great interest, and the court was most inconveniently crowded during the whole proceedings. Yesterday Mary Ann Brooke, an exceedingly good-look ing woman, was placed at the bar b e f ore M r. Elli ott on a charge of robbing her master, Mr. Denny, a surgeon in the London-road, and presenting the property to a person in the Queen's Bench prison, who represents himself as a Lieute nant in the Royal Horse Guards Blue. It appeared that the day before Mr. Denny received a let ter from a person confined for debt in the Queen's Bench prison, who represents himself as a Lieutenant P—, of the Royal Horse Guards Blue, stating that some time before he had met his servant (the prisoner) at the t t a l bleofa B—, a fellow-prisoner, and that she subseqen these visits y visited during him very frequently in his own room ;that the Ltieeutheenanhter own—) withpro perty, various prisoner riousartieles had w presented him ( now that they but he (Lieutenant P—). suspecting w pr e n r p e e t r h l3 e , p p r n o s p se e ss rt e y d o h f e A r l s r. eI D f n e f nn t y, he a m n , d w th as at w th il e prisoner lingtng adivhethiem m up. This appeared te lett all er right wenta ande clearly ly to show that proper, but th e remaining the part of h prisoner had become more intimately acquainted with other debtors than Lieut. P— fancied, and that the letter forwarded to her master had been written more from a feeling of jealousy than compunctious visitations about the property being dishonestly come by. On receipt of the letter, how ever, Mr. Denny proceeded to the Queen's Bench prison, and in the room of Lieut. P— found two carpets, a footman, a china basket, and other articles,ivbich he recognised, and which were at once delivered up to him. He then returned home, and accused the prisoner of stealing these articles, when she replied that she had merely lent them to the gentleman in whose rooms they had been found, ar.d he then gave her into the custody of an officer. Her boxes and the drawers which she used were examined, and they were found to contain several articles of property belonging to Mr. Denny. Police-constable John Payne, 156 L, deposed that he had been called in to take the prisoner into custody on the pre ceding evening, and on his telling her what it was for, she replied that she had lent the things to Mr. I"—, who was in the Queen's Bench prison. She also said she was sorry for what she had done, but Mr. 1) wished her to take her master's property. She said she should not do so, but would lend him two or three things, which he was to return. The prisoner offered a similar defence, and was remanded to a future day, when the case will undergo the most search ing investigation. THE LATZ EXTRAORDINARY CASE.—After making the ap plication to this court on Tuesday evening, the parents of the lad who had been detained at the Railway Hotel, Nine Elms, by Mrs. Boys, proceeded there, as directed by the magistrate, for the purpose of possessing themselves of their youthful son, and arrived just in time to accomplish their object. It seems that at the very moment the parties had been making appli cation at this court, the father of the other two lads whom Mrs. Boys had with her, arrived at the Railway Hotel, and not at all relishing the then condition of the lady at whose charge they had been confided, at. once removed them from her care. Finding herself freed from this encumbrance, Mrs. Boys sent for a cab, and expressed her intention of at once leaving the hotel; and had it not been for the fact of the, ignorance of her y ou thf u l co mp an ion as to what should pay the waiters of the establishment, she wotil i have. :-uf• ceeded in carrying him oft. She was seated in the cab with a jewel -case and several small boxes, containing, it was said , considerable property, beside her, and ready to start; while her " dear Frederick," as she called him, was left to set tle the bill. He did so , and left the hotel to ask what he should pay the waiters? She replied five shillings, and this sum the youth offered, but it was refused. He returned to the cab to inform the lady of the circumstance, and the latter directed him to give them ten shillings, or even 11., so thet they might get away; but before he had time to settle the matter, his parents came up, and by threats and menaese succeeded in getting him away. Mrs. Boys, in the 10' terim, and upon seeing the parents of the lad come up, di: rected the cabman to drive on, and she was driven in cab No. 870 towards town, but whither no person at the hotel P aware of. WESTMINSTER. Captain G. Losack attended at this court to prefer a corn' plaint against a cab-d r i ver f or con d uct o f t h e mos t ruffianly description. The proprietor of 2,813 h a d b e en summoned 1. produce the licen s ed d r ive r o f th e ca b, which he did; bet the latter having stated that he had been suddenly take ill, and had employed what is generally termed "a buck , on the night the off e nc e was comm i tte d, w h o h a d driven t,: gentleman, William Stacey, the man so employed, and IT_ was in attendance, was ordered to stand forward, and th .. licensed driver put into the witn ess -b ox t o p ro ve that 9 ' had entrusted the cab to his care. Captain Losack, of the let West India Regiment, sta tel that a little before twelve o'clock on the night of the S l ot instant he hired the defendant's cab at the Harner ic es , Theatre, and ordered him to drive to Shaftesbury-terr a , Pimlico. On arriving at King-street, W es t m i ns ter, the e e ; fendant suddenly stopped at a public-house, and, brutal oath declared he would no t move anot h er inch un':„; the gentleman gave him somethin g t o d r i n k. Complainio observed that he appeared to hav e h a d enoug h, an d told if he did not go on, he would lodge a complaint against he' Defendant, after using two or three more oaths, and exl 3 l; ing his determination "to gi ve th e gen tl ema n a tuts slammed the cab-door with great viol ence an d man: 6 the box again. He then drove int o G rea t George-st"-0". where he caused the wheel of the cab to come in tact with a stone, put for the protection of a lamrl and which caused the cab to jerk considerably. On resell ° the park gates he refused to d r i ve th roug h th em , a nd turn s , down Princes-street. C om pl a i nan t t o ld hi m t h a t he le going the wrong-way, when defendant observed, " Oh, f ° , be d—d, I know the way better than you do," and then P a ceeded towards Westminster .Abb e y, w h ere he sudd e 0 1 turned off in the direction of the bridge. Complaiee several times put his head out o f th e w i n d ow , an d told to stop, and each time th a t h e did so d e f en d ant struck h,,, i" over the hat, and said, "If you don't get in I'll cut yourl head off:" On arriving at Bridge- s t ree t, a person to /e,t°,4l complainant called stopped the cab, and th en two or 141:14 other cabmen came up, and asked def e nd an t w h a t was ,r". 4 matter, when he informed the bystanders th a t a f e ll o w got into his cab with a woman, and that she would not et o out of it, nor would the fellow pay th e f are —l s . 6d. ',he persons then stepped out of the crowd, an d i nqu i re d wbe'" i , defendant was hired? to which he repli e d i n th e / vegan o , and added, "As soon as I get this wom an ou t, I'll take up." The cab was at this time in the middle of the with the snow ancle-deep, when complainant, who l'ile bs d companied by his wife, handed her out, and although be b e not ridden a mile took the advi c e of some gentlenzellb. came up, and paid the driver the eighteenpence which demanded. The defendant, in answer to the charge, said, "I w ant W oo the cab to the stand and there s o me gentlemen g:a/ e er e something to drink. I suppose I mu s t h ave t a k en this f‘ tleman (Captain Losack) up, but I don't r emem ber it. / think half of what he has said is false, but I was tiP O know." • M 0 het i r. BRODERIP observed, that o f a ll th e cases that ever come within the experience of a magistrate, thin ; . ja one of the most ruffianly. All the answer, if answer it c 0 i• be termed, made to it was, that th e d e f en d an t was jut,,°ol cated ; but that was no justification, for if it was t o be so, no person would for a moment be safe. He shoula be that he but ill discharged his duty to the public neglected to mark his sense of the s er i es o f off ences be "hit committed—namely, demanding considerably more the A ll bil fare—his extremely abusive and offensive cond uc t-40' 4 it wanton assault upon the gentleman. As a punishmeu'ro. this case, and as a warning to others, he sh o uld, f o r the P, A O tection of the community, commit def en d an t f or six Y" to hard labour in the House of Correction. BOSTON, STAMFORD, and Mgt INGHAM RAILWAY (STAMFORD AND 157 ' w BECia LINE). o f The ordinary half-yearly meeting of th e s h are holdartig, this company was held yesterd a y a t th e i r offices, N't,, Abingdon- street, Westminster. Thomas Macaulay, president of the board of directors, in the chair. After the usual preliminaries, bi d The CitemaraN said that, although so short a tint° tb' elapsed since the last meeting of the company, yet 1 10 ,41 present was a regular half-ye ar ly m ee ti ng , th e S ecre tary thought it right to make a report. The SECRETARY then read the report, from which 13 e r e , peered that the shares had b een re d uce d f rom t h ree toe 11 and that the directors had made a call of 1/. 14s. a s hare; , 0 also stated that all the Bills alluded to in the report had 41 7 0 , read a first time, and that the balance of assets was 6, 6s. Ed., the sum stated at the last meeting. s ato The CHAIRMAN said it would not be necessary to 113 10 0 any lengthened observati on s. It cou ld not b e su pposed I ,y since the last meeting the di r e c t ors h a d muc h to iO% municate. The directors were caref u lly s uperinten u e o. the progress of the Bills laid before the last t oe d ing. The latter part of th e b us i ness mon° est. in the advertisement was a subj ec t f or th e special fa to ing that would take place after the conclusion 0, 8 tr present meeting. Considerable advances had been rm.'', fo r wards the capital of the comp an y, th oug h the per tto nat the payment of such had not arrived, and there W 4 7,, en . doubt that the requisite capital w ou ld b e su pplied bY c r i i % tlemen who knew the value of fi ve p er cen t. certa in, al l bad per cent. in perpetuity.—(Hear , hear.) M r . Person given his most valuable services to the comp any as a c up ,Br' intendent, for which they proposed to allow him 4004 annum, only 2001. per annum of which would come out of the perzkets of the company. He would conclude by moving the adoption of the report in the usual form. Mr. GRIFFIN seconded the motion. Mr. LEACII3IAN proposed as an amendment that the salary of the secretary should be increased from 1501. to 3501. per annum. After some discussion the amendment was a ltered _A into a resolution, to the effect that th e mee ti ng c onsidar7, it inexpedient to increase the allowance of 1,000/. r annum for any salary to the managing director. This amendment was negatived. larg e The original resolution was then put and carried by' a majority. This terminated the business of the half-yearly meefiligi t t A special meeting was then h e ld t o con fi rm th e agreeo l6 entered into with the direct ors o f th e G rea t North 9_ Railway Company by the directors of the B° 9W t o Stamford, and Birmingham Railway ComPaul.„ o 9 sell and lease their line, with the exten ol ; e d to the former company, which had already been aPPrq,d at a general meeting of the s h are h o ld ers , an d a l so t o conw the following Bills, viz.:— A Bill to empower the Boston, Stamford, and Birrn i fo ham Railway Company_ to make a railway from the Srik tba and Peterborough Railway, at or near Peterborough, t° Stamford and Wisbech line of the Boston, Stamfordt,PV Birmingham Railway, in the pa r i s h o f Th orney an d 10 Ely. or is A Bill to empower the Boston, Stamf or d, an d Birmingbtbs Railway Company to make a Branch Railway from 4 Stamford and Wisbech line of th e B os t on , S tam f o rd, - - _„4 Birmingham Railway, at Wisbech, to Wi s b ec h H ar b o ur, "" to construct certain works at Wisbech Harbour. A Bill to empower the Boston, Stamf or d, an d Binningat° - h t . Railway Company to make a R a il way f rom Wi s b ec h to Pt, ton Bridge, with a Branch to Sutton St. Mary, and to 11) * prove the Harbour at Sutton Bridge. The agreement and the Bills were confirmed without ( l ir sent or discussion. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman and the y rectors.—The meeting then separated. CO [ADVERTISEMENT.] —TEAS AT 'WHOLESALE - i s / - • No. 2, BU CILLER9BURY, CHEA PSlDE.—Fatnilies wi l ° l o consumption is large, and study econ om y , w ill derl i, considerable advantage at this establi s h men t . One °tile form price is affixed, by which the purchaser of a sia pound can obtain it on the same terms as the trade. Black Tea 2s. Bd., Cs., 3s. 4d, 3s. Bd., 4v., 4s. 4d., 5* Green 3s. 4d., 3s. Bd., 45., 4s. 4d., 55., 65., 75. g e, Coffee 9d., 10d., I s . , Is. 2d., Is. 4d., ls. 15L.03 One pound sent free to any p art o f town. 'Orders no the country forwarded th e same d ay; and when quantity is for 61b. weight (tea only), the earriag"paid to any part o f E ng l an d .—MANsELL and Co.L wholesale tea dealers, 2, Bucklersbury, Cheapside. 0 THE M AILS . S OUTHAMPTON, FEB. 1 . 8 Oriental Company's steam. ship Madrid, Captain Weekiat which was to have sailed thi s d a y w ith t h e Pepineu'ot and Mediterranean mails, has been ordered by Geverura e ; to remain here until further notice to await any extra dis patches they may have to send. The West India mails .1 " d0 dispatched by the Royal mail packet Clyde, Capt. Sylno n at three P.M. She has forty-seven passengers. Dispatches were received yesterday at the C o lon ifil: office from the Governor of the Mauritius, and also froD the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope. The Bishop of Toronto had an interview with Ear Grey yesterday. Mr. James Field had also an inter view with his Lordship at the Colonial-office. [A DVERTIBEDIEN T.] —A DISEASED KN E E.—A WoN. DESFUL CUES BY HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT AND PILLS.—John Weir aged 19, of Kinnegs, parish of Longhall, near .Armagh, was seize with a pain in his knee, which lasted for three months, and the° commenced to swell; six months afterwards, it broke out into 0 dreadful wound, and discharged for twelvemonths, although over,' remedy was used that medical men could devise, both at tile county infirmary and local dispensary, yet no appearance of healt presented itself, until his f a th er purchased some of Holloway's Pt and Ointment, which s oon ef f ected a sound cure. No wounds, sore s ' or ulcers, however l ong standing, can resist the proper use of thes „ " fine medicines. Sold b y a l l druggists, and at Professor Hellowal ' establishment, 244, Strand, London. On the 10th Inst., th e w if e of John Potter, Esq. solicitor. wa loth of a son. Oa the 12th Inst., at Greenwich, the wife of F. L. Wallace, of a son. On the 14th inst., a t P orc h es ter-terrace, the wifo of EdmundEdmund l7 ' Bourdillon, Esq , of a daughter. On the 14th inst., a t Ch e lt en h am , th e w if e o f the Rey. S . B. Arnett, of a son. On the 14th inst., at Canonbury-square, Islington, the lady o f 3f. Guedalia, Esq., ef a son. On the 14th inst., in Orchard-street, Chichester, the lady of Robet llenty, Esq., of a daughter. On the 15th inst., in Albem ar l e - s t ree t, M rs. B . J. mukintosl4 of a son. loige rl On the 15th inst., at Tooti ng - common , th e l a d y o f P. W. - c Esq., of a son. late On the 15th inst., at Hastings, the lady of W. B. Knipe, EN. , Captain sth Dragoon Guards, of a daughter. Art h u r On the 16th inst., at Hyde-park-gardens, the Hen. Mrs. Kinnaird, of a son. On the 16th inst., in Aussell-square, Mrs. G. Clowes, of a MARRIED. On the 7th of October, at Meerut, in the East Indies, "tosslit Helena Angelo, fourth daughter o f Li eu t enan t-C o l one l John Angf; of the 3d Regiment Bengal Cavalry, to Captain John Abarcrolla of the Bengal Horse Artillery. DIED. e la te On the 21st ult., at Nice, L e titi a S ara h, on l y d aug hter Of -- th Major-General Robort Sewell. On the 24th ult., at Tottenham, Sarah, relict of the 1411-te4loBeP Huiram, aged 73. On the 6th inst., at L eam i ng t on, A n d rew M urray, E s q., sheriff of Aberdeenshire. On the 15th inst., at Pelham-place, Brompton, Emma, YOU llge° daughter of the late W. Webb, EN., aged 36 . LL•• On the 16th inst., a t D octors '- commons, J. Dau b en y, wife of On the 16th in s t., a t U n i on - place, Lambeth-roa d , Janne. Tri William Sawter, Esq. the in' On the 16th inst., a t al euces t er - roa d , H y d e -p ar k-gard,.—' fant sen of Edward Morris, Esq. London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of N 0• 1 15 Strand, Printer, at The ,Sun Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Pre.Z.,, of the Savoy, ill the County of Middlesex, Thurixlab lx - uary 18, 1847. ELECTORAL DISTRICTS. The NOBLE EARL also presented a petition from Kin sale, complaining of the unequal mode of rating electoral districts for the support of the poor, and praying that the poor-rates might be equalised throughout the whole country. POOR REMOVAL ACT. The Earl of STRADBROKE presented a petition against the Poor Removal Act from a number of per sons in Suffolk. BANKING. Lord EGLINTON said, that on Monday next he would move for copies of the correspondence which passed betsveen the Government and the Scotch and Irish bankers. DESTITUTE PERSONS (IRELAND) BILL. The Earl:of SHAFTESBURY brought up the report upon this Bill. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said that he viewed the Bill with great distrust. It assumed that the people of Ireland would be capable of giving money for the food to be supplied. He saw no measure yet passed by Parliament, or known to be in progress, which would effect the object to be attained by the Bill within the limited period for which the measure was to remain in operation. It was to bo substituted, as he understood, for what was improperly called the Labour-rate Act. He confessed that he had a feeling almost of despon dency with respect to the future in Ireland, from the reports contained in the large blue book upon the table. That feeling did not arise from the state of the potato crop, but from the picture contained iu that large blue book of the intimidation under which the relief committees acted, and the jobbing which pre vailed in the administration of the law.—(Hear.) He confessed that he had great doubts as to the suc cessful operation of the present measure. It was his opinion that it would not work as well as the Labour-rate Act of last session. The landlords of Ireland, he appre hended, would not take advantage to any extent of the provisions of the measure, and the people, therefore, would not secure those benefits which the Government contem plated. Some great measure of public works would be of far greater use than any of the plans now proposed. He confessed he thought the principle of the Labour-rate Act of last year preferable to the one now proposed. No doubt the present was a good measure as an auxiliary to other measures, although standing by itself it only meant an Act to take from the e other specifiede e sums, u , yets thehe a ttention of the Noble Lord to th e f orm of the Act, they t hard earned money of the people of thi s country, to g i ve food to the people of Ireland, with ou t any prospect o f a return. Although was T he given ato Marquis eu m Parliament of e f L e A nl N y S 3t D oo 0 0 , O advance W O N i E wa w h wished to direct sa r m Noble Lord would find in the 17th c l ause t h at a power might think fit. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH—The clause says " granted." - I The Marquis of LANSDOWNE—What relief the committees might think proper to recommend, that the Parliament had power to advance or grant as they might think fit. The Noble Lord had expressed much veneration for the former Act. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH—" Oh, no." The Marquis of LANSDOWNE--He was not cer tain whether the Noble Earl was present when he (the Marquis of Lansdowne) had moved the second reading of this Bill : at that time he had stated to the House his own opinion, that it would be bet ter if they had considered these Bills concur rently with the others before the Legislature on the same subject. He considered that this measure would stimulate labour in Ireland ; and although the Noble Earl had expressed an opinion that landlords would not avail themselves of the Government offer, he (the Marquis of Lansdowne) entertained no doubt that they, an d especially landlords of entailed estates, would do so. He did believe that the efforts of the Government had been of the greatest service in obtaining the advantages which were anticipated from this Act. The Noble Earl (Ellenborough) had allowed that there was a great moral principle in the Labour-rate Act; but he was sorry to say that the Government had found that great abuses had been practised under this Act ; and that, above all, great intimidation had been used for the employment of parties who ought never to have been engaged. No man could more sensibly feel the injury arising from these abuses than he (the Marquis of Lansdowne), but he must say that great advantages had been enjoyed under the Act, and the efforts of her Majesty's Government had been very effectual in putting down these abuses, and great progress had been made in different parts of the country in the prevention of this employment altogether, and, he was happy to say, that the employment of labour was new being carried on in the most peaceable manner; and he could assure the House that her Majesty's Government had great hopes of putting down this intimidation altogether. And he did believe, if he might use such a phrase, that the system would be rendered watertight. Under all the circumstances the matter was too important not to secure the vigilant attention of her Majesty's Govern ment. He proposed to move the t hird readin g o f the Bill on Monday. PORTUGUESE TROOPS. Lords BEAUMONT and BROUGHAM both rose at the same moment, and a slight altercation as to priority of right took place, but ultimately Lord Brougham gave way, and %Lord BEAUMONT said, that he rose to put the question to the Noble Marquis, of which he had given notice the last time the House met. The question he wished to ask, was respecting the treatment ' of the prisoners taken by the Queens troops in Portugal after the late battle of Torres Vedras. In putting this question he wishes to guard himself against any supposition that he desired to interfere with the do mestic affairs of any other country, except where British interests were at stake, whether in a case of war or otherwise, he conceived that there was no right whatever to interfere with the internal affairs of any other country. But in the present case, for the Government to remain passive was only to increase the difficulties attendant upon the position of affiairs in Portugal. The circum stances of the case were as follows. A division of the army opposed to the Queen's Government, under the command of Count Bowfin, advanced to Torres Vedras with the intention of moving on to Lisbon, and after a severe battle, which terminated in the success of the forces of the Queen. The remnant of the division, under Count Bomfim, retired into the castle of Torres Wares. The. Duke of Saldanha, commanding the Queen's forces, called upon them to surrender,—they refused to de so, but subse quently they surrendered on condition of receiving all the honours of war. To this proposition the Duke of Saldanha agreed, and the stipulations were drawn up i n writing, and signed by the Commander of the Queen's Forces. On the faith of these stipula tions the remnant of the division in the castle surrendered. But notwithstanding the agreement and stipulations were drawn up in writing, the officers of that division were marched to Lisbon and taken on board a frigate lying in the Tagus, where confined, with scarcely any of the necessaries of life, with scanty clothing, and the poorest description of food. In consequence of sone (LEFT SPEAKING.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. There being only twenty-seven Members present at our o'clock, the House was adjourned. TIIE ELECTRIC TELEGRADII ON THE MANCHESTER AND LEEDS BAILWAY.—We are glad to learn that the work mon in the employ of the Electric Telegraph Company are busily engaged in laying the wires along the whole extent of this line, from.the Victoria station, Hunt's Bank, to Norman-. ton. We believe application has been made by the Tele -graph Company's agent to the Committee of the Manchester Exchange, for perm►ssion to make some part of the Exchange itself the Manchester terminus of the electric telegraph ; and we cannot entertain a doubt that the Exchange Corn. mittee will at once accede to the request, looking at the great importance of early intelligence in the very centre of com mercial information and communication—the Exchange. Several of the upper rooms in the present building would be rendily made - applicable to telegraphic purposes. --:Manchester Guardian. -