The Express.
London, England, 1863-02-17 00:00:00

THE REPASSEITIATION OP DEVIZES.

DEVIZES, MONDAY Neon.
Ai is late hour this evening an aggregate public
meeting of the electors of this borough took place at the
Assembly Booms, to consider and determine whether Mr.
bread Abrahams or Mr. J. W. Probyn should retire to avoid
endangering the liberal interests by a division in the ranks.
Yr. N. B. R&NDLI presided over a crowded meeting,
which at one time assumed an uproarious chareoler.

Mr. ABRAHAMS was the first called upon to address the

meeting. As • resource to mare the liberal cease, he (Kr.
Abrahams) proposed to all • meeting of the whole of the
electors, to decide the question by means of she ballot

as to which should retire from the contest. Mr.
Probyn refused, until, at the eleventh hour, he agreed
to submit to the tart conditionally that only the
skidoo be convoked who were known to be
libend. Notwithstanding the questionable circumstances
under which those terms had been proposed, he (Mr. Abra-
hams) yet would accept the terms rather than be • party to
damage the liberal cause. He then enunciated at great
length his home and foreign policy, which may be described
es Palmerstonian, and sat down amidst much applause.
Mr. PROBTN, in rising to address the meeting, was greeted
with much uproar from the body of the hall, by a motion
of these in attendance. Order having been restored, Mr.
Probyn stated that he came down to Devises with his ad-
dram in hie pocket as early as 2.30 on the Monday after-
noon, and the address, after having been submitted to his
friends in Devises, was published on the following morning.
He knew nothing of Mr. Abrahams until ha saw his oddment
in the Loudon papers on the Monday morning. In the
evening of that day he saw Mr. Abrahams, and felt that
something ought to be done for the sake of the cause.
(Hew, hear.) It was he (Mr. Probyn) who suggested that
the question should be decided by the ballot, and Mr.
Abrahams refused, on the ground that he was first
in the field. Mr. Probyn then produced letters
that had passed between them to prove that sub-
sequently Mr. Abrahams proposed, and be accepted, a
means of deciding the matter. The question was then
raised whether it should be decided by all the electors or
only the electors of the liberal party, which was still at thine.
The CHAIRMAN hors asked Mr. Abrahams if he was willing
to have the question settled by the electors present.
Mr. ABRAHAMS replied that he should be delighted to do
so. (Prolonged cheering and uproar.)
Mr. Proloyn's agent then attempted to address the meet-
ing, and a great tumult ensued, in the midst of which the
Chairman suddenly dissolved the meeting.
Mr. Abrahams and his friends, having quelled the tumult,
took the sense of the meeting, end a forest of hands was
held up in favour of Abrahams. The minting then termi-
nated amidst uproarious cheering. Mr. Abrahams and his
friends afterwards addressed a great concourse of people
from a window of the Bear Hotel till peat midnight.

LONDON AND BLACKWALL RAILWAY.
(THIS DAY.)

The half-yearly meeting of the proprietors was
held at noon, at the London Tavern ; Mr. J. N. DANIELL in
the chair.

rePort, which was published in the Express of yes-
terday, having been taken as read,
The 011•111tAll moved it. adoption. He mid on looking
at the result. of the last helf•year he could not help exprees-
ing his satisfaction at the increased receipt.. That increase
bad taken place chiefly in the passenger traffic, while pert of
it wee the result of the recent expenditure. There had not
been that increase in the goods traffic which was expected to
affect the company mart favourably. They bad,
therefore, that benefit stall to look forward to ;
for it was not to be supposed that great
railway companies had incurred such • great expense
in coastr acting warehouses and goods sidings without almst
a certainty of bringing to the line at an early period traffic
which would prove remunerative. That company bad gone
to • large expense in order to arrive at the present result,
and the board expected a considerable increase in the goods
traffic. Their terminal accommodation was exceedingly
suitable for each traffic. Moreover, they had not been idle
during the past year, for they had carried 23.,000
tons of goods. They were beginning to derive
great advantage from the conveyance of coals, end
this advantage must be increased when the communication
with the London Dock was completed. He believed that,
taking their present position as a basis of calculation, they
need have no fear of a retrograde motion, but, on the con-
trary, had every canes to expect an advance. He trusted
that the days of smell dividends were as regarded that
company at an end. (Cheers.)
A Paorurros thought the increase of passenger traffic
was due in some degree to the Paha:Stipa. They had a very
different sort of population to deal with from that which
lay on the London and South Western line, and they must
adapt themselves to it.
After some discusaion the report was adopted, and a divi-
dend at the rate of 4 per cent per annum was declared.