The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-16 00:00:00

meted ; and for himself be might say that be was ever
ready to listen to any advice that was tendered to his.
With lewd to the general policy of the board, he could
not admit that that policy was • wrong policy.
He hoped that Mr. Brown would not press bin
resolution, as it would prevent the legal anal.
gatnation with the West Midland, and they cou9t go on
with it. He agreed that the company moused rest.
He thought the resolution was an injudicious one. The
latter part was hardly admissible in point of form, and the
first part was impracticable. He thought there would be
better dividends for the correct half-year, because they were
already in possession of 52,00 W. additional traffic which was
going on, and because more traffic wee fairly to be expected
from the opening of the Metropolitan and the West Loudon
Extension lines.

The motion for the adoption of the report wee then put
and carried with some dozen dissentients.

Mr. BROWN said the feeling of the meeting appeared to
be so generally in favour of his resolution that he should
press it. He did not think that the resolution was faulty
in point of form, nor was it impracticable. He then moved
the resolution (which is given above).
Mr. ADAM. seconded, and said be considered the resolu-
tion of enormous importance. It bound the directors not
to proceed with the Fist Gloucester scheme. If they did
proceed with it he should be obliged to go through the his-
tory of that scheme, which would redound to the credit of
neither the shareholders nor the directors. The share
holders had now the opportunity of making a stand against
the extension policy, and he trusted they would make rt
After some discussion,
Tbe Cusramsx put the resolution to the meeting, and
a show of bands having been taken, he said he could
not decide whether the majority was fur or against, and he
put it again with the same result. He then requeetcd the
supporters and opponents of the resolution to range them-
selves respectively on different sides of the room, and he
counted the numbers, and declared that 65 had voted for
the resolution and 72 against it.
This decision was received with vehement 'heat. of indig-
nation from the supporters of the resolution, and a merle of
great confusion ensued, one or two shareholders accusing
the chairman of unfair conduct and of taking the votes of
the officials, and the chairman in return threatening to have
Mr. Adams removed from the room. At length,
Mr. Snow, mounted on the reporter.' table, and said that
having been one of the tellers, he acknowledged that the
bad last the resolution by a majority of eve, and they had
lost it by the directors and officials voting. He submitted
to what he did not like hut could not help, and he would
now give this notice : " The resolution having been nage-
tived, notice is hereby given that a meeting of share-
holders will be celled to cemaider the steps necessary
to be taken for extricating the company from its dangerous
position, and for placing it on a sound basis, by the legal
amalgamation of the three companies, and the formation of
a united board of directors; and that a committee be
formed of shareholders of the Great Western, West Mid-
I land, and South Wales Companies, to prepare a bill for
amalgamation, and for other matters requiring considers-
tion, and to give notice of • time and for holding
such meeting; and that communications respecting the
' meeting be addressed to Mr. Adams, 19, Bread-street,
Cheapeide." .. . . . .

The CHAIRMAN said the notice might be given, but be
could not allow) any discussion upon it now. He moved
that a dividend of IN. per cent. be paid.
Mr. Hearririme said he had asked a question as to the
amount which would have been added to the receipt. of the
last half-year if the receipts of the two half-years had been
more evenly balanced.
The CHAIRMAN said he supposed it would be something
like 25,000 i. to 30,060/.
Mr. ADAMS observed that the chairman had not answered
the question as to the amount of the parliamentary ex-
penses.
The Cuarnmax mid the accounts were not yet in, and he
could not state the exact amount. He feared it would be
26,0001.
Mr. ANDREWS said he thought after what had passed at
that meeting they ought not to take any dividend this half-
year. There was a great crisis arising in Great Western
affairs. The bringing in of officials to outvote the share-
holders would cause an agitation that might have important
results.

The motion was then put and carried.
The meeting was then made venial, for the purpose of
considering the agreement with the Shrewsbury and Here-
ford Hallway thmpany, and after a short discussion a rem-
lutiou confirming the agreement between the two companies
was agreed to.
Mr. H. MILES then moved a vote of thanks to the chair-
Lan, who be said Lad, under most trying circumstances,
shown the greatest courtesy and impartiality. (Hear.)
The CILLIJUIAM said he WU obliged to the hon. proprietor.
It was a very disagreeable thing to be supposed, as bad been
thrown out, that either himself or his colleagues were in-
different to the present state of things. He had endea-
soured to act as justly as be could to the shareholders.
The meeting, which had lasted more than five hours, then
separated.