The Express.
London, England, 1849-07-14 00:00:00

THE EXPRISS, SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 14. 1849.

DOWNING-STREET, JULY 13.—The Queen has been
rinsed tg eir in; Itlehart Blanatiard E q., to b. o.yernor
.a. 4 Com nand• r-in-Cbief in 'yid titer tt.e Wan 1 of Van-
e.ver, r sod its deoen leneiee. Also to *pp tii.t James bleN.tb,
El., to be It•ceir..r Gemini, Herh.rt Huntinron,
IN.. to b., Fit:lend:ll Seerittry fir the proidue, .4 Nor,
; sod further to appotht beet G teraway McHugh,
Hi., to be Second Paine Judge of the Boyd Court of the
Woad 61 it. Luck.

RAILWAY MEETINGS.

EASTERN COUNTIES.

A special general maditg of the chars holders was held
esterdsy et the L allot% Tavern, Bishopagatesstriet, for the
purp as of electitg, or recommet sting for el.cti in, right pro-
oieson to be new directors of the ,ornpany. Toe meting
was censertect on the requisition of 15 proprietors. The chair
was tak,n at 1 o'cloct, by Mr. ANDEttIiON, one of tne
e.et srs Tee room wee 04 more than hatf full.
Dr. RILEY, of Ware, u a large holler of Eastern Coon.
ties emit, calmed the privilege of =akin; a few observe-
•Lns. He had been connteted with the line for mthy
year., and he thera.s. • need not say how indignant he felt
at the low state to which it had been redived by the base
and evrar .gart conduct of the old directors— Ohters)—
conduct which, as a Eacts' practitioner, he declared had
twou-ht msny a nuts to the grave. (Lourthter and " Hear,
hear.") To be promised 10 per cent., end not to obtain 4,
was a must serit:us matter. (Ques,a.n.) Let them
take care who they appointed as the new directors,
Mr. WII.COXON then roar, amidst much confas'on, to
pr,..p.sso a list of new directors. (A y.uce, "No speech.")
kh ~•..ul,l propos.: the wets according to the m siseity 01
v.,* that each gentleman obtained upon the esmatittee of
elntion. He would now move, " Thst this special meeting
rs ummend that Mr. Broadbeet, of fessocheater, be
.Iscel a new director of the E ”tere Counties C.mponv, and
• rtiqwwit that all proper tr.etsurer be taken by the existing
card to place the said Thomas Broadbe%t in office forth-
ret4s."
Mr. CHRISTIE seconded the mottos. .

Mr. BM/ALE:ENT hoist(' the meeting would agree to the
prate sect list in as short a time as poseible. They could not
take a better course on that ocomimi. If they wanted lurther
improvement they neu,t wait for an annual meeting.
The bEt..itE I ANY said there had been received in the
data in clue limn, 869 proxy votes in favour of Mr. Braad-
hti.t, r. presen.inst 1,699,10u1. of et ek and 21,679 voter ; in
Istria,. it Mr. 84,12110 Bet's 17 proxies, representing
11,3!71 .1 stock and 313 v tee; and Mr. Reed, as one of
lb, gentlemen named in the proxies with Mr. Bette, had
just handed dn him a paper in favour of Mr. Broaticent.
It was eubsecamitly stated, as the several candidata were
prop .a •d, that the proxies above unnamed had bean given
in their favour.
A SHAREHOLDER eliterved that as Mr. Bradbent
Its., been pri..p.emd, the meeting ought to proceAto the Glen-
' 1011.

The SZCRETARY then rot the question, and
The CHAIR 7,IAN declared thst Mr. Brosdhent had
'Alen electeu by show of hands. There were about six die.
semi' ate.
The ...salt war signals:Ll bye vociferous burst of cheering.
Air. KENNARD put it to 'he meeting m exprus by show
of hands whetli-r they would hear Mr. Witco:on or Mr.
Box. Or ly two or three heads were held up in favaur of
diving on audience to the latter gentleman, who, however,
was net silenced without great ditfi miry.
!Ir. WILCOXON then nominated Mr. Samuel Ellis am a
director.

Mr. CHRISTIE seconded the motion.
Mr. Elvis was then chosen by a show of hands. There
were two diesen.ients.
Mr. WIL'.:OXON then proposed; Mr. Edward Ladd
Batt..
A SHAREHOLDER inquired whether Mr. Betts was a
ra:lway contractor
Mr. CHRISTIE replied that Mr. Betts had never been
cunreend with any contract un the Eastern Counties line ;
.a.d, mere .v: r, he was desirous of bringing the while of his
Lusinvs as a contractor to a close very soon. Mr. Betts had
a very large stake is the company, and he was the first limn
is this company who discovered that the accounts were not
faithfully sod properly kept. He would work fey a year or
two in the hope Oa*, by the ezniratim of that time, the line
would pay a good dividend, and that he might then be
allowed to wire.
On a show of hands, the result was in favour of the
candidate, there not bc.ng more than half a:dozen dissen-
tients.
Messrs. J. A. F. Smythe and Joseph Glynn were then
else ed on the motion of Mr. Wileozon, seconded by Mr.
Christie. Agsiost the election of the litter gentleman nut
score than one hand was hi Id up.
Mr. Wit-ozon then propo.e I, or. 1 Mr. Christie seconded,
Mr. T. J. Murgrays, oldie Crty Saw Malls, who was ciamen
unanivennnl).
On the proposed of the same mover and seconder, Mr
Reed was also elected, the dissentients numbering on!y three
or four. Ws gintlcusan nii, in reply to the foregoing
question respecting Lord JUntsagle's bill, he did not know
what she classes of the bill were, nor did he believe that
they were known to say one present. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. WILCOXON proposed Mr. James ream, of Mildea-

_ _
Mr. HELPS trended the motion.
The CLIAIRIAN then naked it any proprietor had any
other eandi,:ate to provse. No reply having been given to
this guest's" he sai-1 lie WWI rejoiced to find that there was
no other candid ite. (Liter, heir.) He congratulated the
meeting on the harmony which had prevailid ou that occa-
sion; and no one would rejoice more than he would to h.mir
immeshes. of the prosperity of the Eastern Counties line.
(Cheese.)
A PROPRIETOR then proposed it vote of ibanke to the
eh Armen' r.ssarl his regret that he bad ever been
associated with ',n al colleagues.
The motion having been steonded, was pnt by Mr. HAN-
NA itii, and carried unanimously, with one exception.
1': ree cheer. were then given for the new directors, after
whiah the meeting disiarved.

YORK, NEWCASTLE, AND BERWICK.
The report of the adjourned meeting of the share-
ho:ders rif this company, held on the 11th inst., and giv.n m
the Express of the 12th inst., ommitted to state that Mr.
Cnattor, a shareholder, gave notice that at the nest meet-
ing h• should move :
"that it is expedient to complete the new board of direc-
tors, in order to terminate the uncertainty which has on long
prevailed in the company. That the direct in be requebten
to call a special meeting to elect new directors. That the
names to be pr)posed shall he st nt by any shareholder to the
secretary, who shall advertise them in the circular collieg
tee waling, and nom them shall be chosen by ballot the
regulate number to complete the board."

MR. HUDSON AND THE YORK, NEWCAS'ILE,

AND BERWICK RAILWAY.

At the meeting of siiatelolders ixstpmed from
yestetd;y, 'when is t, take place on Thursday next,
Its ~ereoid report of the committee of invtFtigatton
wiA be dittcu•sA. That top, rt, with the vo:uminotut
minutrs of erideac.., upon which it is faindtcl, only
reached us early this morning. The first section of
the report relates to

•
IHE A PPLICAIIOIII OP Ilia VVIDS OP THIS COISPANT
II TIM P CRON AIR OP 2.3,46 SIIAILES OF THE Slat DAY

LAND DUCT CultrAWY..:l;tir—Cod atitt7e retcr
former report as to the antibi the shareholders of a rub-
. .

seription by V•is company to tit Sund• rland Dock for 3,000
'haw, or 75.000 L That report also rutted that 2,345 additional
Aires were purchased by Mr. Hudson in the Sunderland
Dock nodal t kimg, principally in the year 1847, end trans.
tweed into the joirt aunts of himself and two other directors,
sad that calls had been paid cut of the foods of this com-
pany, not only on account of the 3,000 shares originally
agreed tJ be subscribed for, but also upon the additional
2,345 shares. I W:11 also stated in your committee's former
report that 62,M71, 100 had been paid out of the funds of
this company, up to the 31st December last, on account of
the cl..ek trous.clions, and that the amount had been in-

crossed at the rhde.of that report to 91,799/. 18s 114.
There is now du. a funher sum t 5,8621. 10.4. for an unpaid
call on three 2..45 shorts.

Your committee will now Uri. Ili state the cirrutostanc.s
proved before them, under which these 'Mitt', ntl 2,345
shares were porchived, and their opinion thereon. At the
Sunderland 1) ick Company's half-y.aly sneetind of share
holders, hal at Sund.e.and on the 27th February, 1847,
George Hudson, E'q., M.P., in the chair, the chairman is
thu• reported in ti.e iarksh,re Gazette of the 6th March,
1117.

" The chairmen, in meting the aiop`ion of the mane, ex-
presso:: his continence n the undertaking p so eoofi4ent
iß-
decd was ha in the success of thrs great work, and so satisfied

was be that it wt.uld prays advantweenus, not only to this
disttiet, but to the whole of civilised Europe, end centrally
to the would at law, that he was prepared to take up ete
shares of any gentleman at par, who might be disposed to sell

them.'
Your committee have referred to the minute books of the
company, to ascertain whether any resonation bad been pre
closely come to by It, board of directote, to increase the in-
ter:lst held by this company in the Sindrr:and Dock, but
they "lo tot find either a resolution or any intimation what-
ever that such a step wet contemplated on the part of the
company, and all the directors deny any knowledge of such a
purine.. Your commi tee especially direct attention bi the
evidence of Mr. Ilud-on, Mr. James Richardson, and Mr.
Nicholas Woad upon this subject, from which it appears that
the lien originated with Me. Hudson, and wan communi-
cated by him tor the first time to those two irntic men upon
the Bands at Sunderland on the morning of the dock meeting
abate referred to.

Imm•dia,ely niter the Sand:Thula Deck Mertieg, sumer.
cue ors ,harm were es.de Mr. Hudson nt rar, in

socord-cee with ifs declaration at the meeting. The Mode
in which tttie offers were made, as well as the anise par-
ried in th. it acceptance, fully appear in the evidence, and
your c”mmittee do not feel it necessary hers to do more than
express the opinion which they have formed, that Mr.
Hudson was acting on Lis own individual responsibility in
tin purchase of there shares, and that this company
is not called urn to adopt a purchase, ruination whch
the shareholders have not up to this day been consulted.
Tour committee direct the attention of the ahareholden to

the feet, that althouth Mr. Hudson states that he made the
purchase of those charts on behalf of this comp my, no mi-
nuto of his hosing done so appears in the books of the
divetore, until more than two years afterwards; not, indeed,
until the apenintment of a committee of investigation was
known to be in contemplation ; and then in terms which
.assume the puvious ignorance of the board The calls which
became due from time to time, on the Dock shares, were
paid out of the facds of the company, end entered lc their
betas when made; but were kept !rem the knowledge of
.he shareholders, by excluding the amount from all
the half-) early accounts, until February last, when
the sum of 62,6871. 10s. was entered; but no informa-
tion was even then given to the shareholders that any further
interest had been taken in the Dock than the 3,000 shares
origiaallysanctioned. It will be seen from the evidence that
the tracsfers of the 2,345 shares were taken in the joint
names of Mr. Hudson, Mr. Davies, and Mr. Withardson, but
that these transfers have not yet been delivered to the Sun-
derland 1) ck Company for registration.
Your committee have taken pains to ascertain whether the
shareholders !newest at the half yearly wetting in Feb. last
(when the company sanctioned the Bar Moor Branch Bill, in
w hien was a clause authorising an eel irged subscript ion for the
Sunderland Dock tothe extent of 150,0001 r, had any informe-
d on before them to justify the state neat that they approved
of the subscription to that amount ; and your committee do
not hesitate to express their opinion that no such information
was afforded them, the clause never having been read, or its
existence referred to in any way, at the meeting. They
have, thtrefore, arrived at the conclusion, that what passed
at that meeting ought not to preclude the char, holders from
now determining the amount to be subscribed by this com-
pany to the Sunderland Dock undertaking.
Your committee, however much they regret the individual
consequences which may follow from the company refuting
to adopt these 2,346 shares, are of opinion that they ought
not to be adopted. and that steps aho'eld be taken to recover
the amount which has been illegally paid.
TILE ALLOTMENTS OP THE NIIWCABILI AND BERWICK
SHAKEII.—The evidence upon this subject will put the share-
holders in possession of ail the facts attendant on the allot-
ment of these shares, and which are briefly as follow : The
Newcastle and Berwick Railway was projected for the pur-
pose ef extending the line of railway communic ition to
Berwick. Mr. Hudson, as chairman of the Newcastle and
Darlington Railway, brought the subject before the proprie-
tore of that line on the bah February, 1844, and then eb-
tined authority from them for making the necessary surveys
and ohms. At the next hallyearly meeting of the Nevicastl..
and Dulingr n proprietor", held on the 6th August, 1844,
the director' of that company reported that they hail caused
a survey to be made, and they proposed that a capital of
700,0001. should be raised for making • railway from New-
sank to Berwick, in shares of 261. each, to be offered to the
Newcastle and Darlington proprietors, in the proportion of
li share for each Newcastle and Darlington share. This
proposition was "dented by the Newcastle and Darlington
proprietors who resolved that the capital of 700,0001. be di,
sided into 28,000 shares. The capital stock of tee New-
castle and Darlington Railway then coasisted of 20,e00
shares, so that to give one share and a quarter to the pro-
prietor of each share in that company, would absorb 25,000
out of the 28,000 shares thus agreed to be treated, and
leave • surplus of 3,000 shares in their bands undisposed of.
The shareholders of the Newcastle and Darlington Com-
pany, to whom these 25,000 shares were offered, pursuant to
the foregoing resolution, accepted them, with the exception
of 642 shales, thus leaving 3,642 shares of the 28,000 unap-
prepriated.
The directors of the Newcastle and Darlington Company
undertook the promotion of the Newcastle and Berwick line,
which was in all respects an emanation from the Newcastle
and Darlington Company, and was promoted by, and at the
expense of, the proprietors of that company. Mr. Hudson
ems then a holder of ,500 shares in the Newcastle and Dar-
lington Company, which would entitle him, upon the fore-
come resolution, to 625 shares in the Newcastle and Ber-
wick Company.
During the autumn of 1844 opposition was raised to the
scheme of the Newcastle and Berwick Railway, and a rival
line was projected. This rendered • larger outlay necessary
than the 700,0001, which had been first contemplated, and
the estimate of the engineer was increased. The diretors of
the Newcastle and Dar infants Company, than promoting the
Newcastle and Berwick Bill, therefore increased the sub-
scription contract for the Newcastle and Berwick line to an
amount equal to the increased estimate. Previous to the bill
beirg introduced into parliament, Mr. Hudson executed the
sub-cription contract deed for 8,000 shares; Mr. Breit., the
deputy-chairman of the Newcastle and Darlington Com:any,
executed it for 4,000 shares; and Mr. James Richardson.
another director, also executed the deed for 2,000
shares ; but neither Mr. Hudson, Mr. Davies, nor
Mr. Richardson executed it in respect of the shares
to which they were severally entitled as holders of
Newcastle and Darlington shares. Mr. Thomas Backhouse.
Mr. George Dobsworth, and the late Mr. Richard Nichol-
son, who were all more or less connected with the Nescastle
and Darlington, and York end North Midland Railways,
which were at that time intimately associated in manage,
runt, also executed the subscription contract for 2,000 shars•
each; thus making an additional subscription for 20,000
shares in the names of the six parties mentioned. The
r, aeon for this execution of the tuba:rip:ion contract has been
fully expiaired to your committee by the solicitors to the
company as having been merely for the purpose of meeting
th 2 standing orders of parliament ; and it has been proved to
your commit'', that no bona ple payment of deposits
was male by the parties subscribing for the 20,000 shares.
It sly cheques were given by the parties, which is very
doubtful, the operation was a mere device, usual at that
period with the directors of railway companies having to
comply with the standing orders of parliament; and none of
the six subscribers for these 20,000 shares professed, at the
time, that they executed the deed on their individual
account.
The Newcastle end Berwick Railway Act was passed on
the 31st July, 1845; and, at the first general meeting of the
Newcastle and Datlirron Company, held on the 6th
August, thereafter, the sharehold, rs were informed by
the chairman that there would be a further issue to
the holders of Neweasis and Berwick sharer, of
one share for each two shares held by them. A
similar statement was male by Mr. Hudson to the pro
orie.ors at the first general meeting of the Newcastle and
Berwick C mpany, held on the 30th August, 1845. The
:Ointment of shares, as thus approved of by both meetings,
would therefore stand as follovn
Oeginal shares
Aduitional allotment of out share for two 14,000

Or whiet it win be ob,erwed that 3,642 of the original snares,
and halt that number, or .... 1,821

Total 5,463 shares
would remain unepprommted and rev be accounted for by t -e
da,ctlrs of the N wrestle and Darlington Company, wbo
were also the dircc..ore of the Newcastle and Beawick Com-
pan,,
Year committee now And that, instead of the register of
shereoldcr- carreatin ,rl;ng with the statement of the chair
anus m. 40 at th^ meetings referred to. the number of regis-
ter* I share-, hae bees increased to 56,000, being more by
14,001) shares than the numaer which the chairman'.
at etom.at would jusify. The meatus which have
u en a *.arti for e..-rying on and Concealing from the
shareholders the oper.stsm, while ii woo being performed,