The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-03 00:00:00

TUE PASSPORT QUESTION.

mesa tYa asffs
The new arrangements of the Foreign-office re-
specting passport* do not appear to us as at all satis-
factory. And the regulation seems to have been
conceived in a spirit of routine which shows that no
person of discernment has really examined the sub-
ject. The hist of these regulations is to lower the
price of a fonign office passport to 7s. lid from two
guineas and a half. This is very well ; but the
Name old rule which has so long held good in Down-
ing-street is still enforced, which is, that no one can
receive a Foreign-office paasport, unless he is known
to the Secretary of State, or to some one who does
know him. or is recommended by an eminent
banker.
According to late orders of the Prussian govern-
ment, no British traveller can pass Aix or get to the
Rhine without an English passport. There arc no
English passports save Foreign-ogee ones 1 conse-
quently no Englishman can visit the Rhine unless he
knows somebody who may know Lord PiissEnscrox
the week. or may know Mr. lima/tem next week,
if that gentleman chances to bc the new minister for
foreign affairs, or unless he may be so lucky as to
have a banker.
Now there arc thousands of English and of Irish
who quit their native place and visit the continent,
fur health or study, who have no means of arriving,
even secondhand. at the acquaintance of a British Se-
cretary fur Foreign Affairs. Pi‘rsonages likely tocreupy
Poch a post, are not men that make travelling ac-
quainbuitses. Yet travellers very respectable, though
unable to lodge 100/. at a hanker's, have nut only a
claim but a right to an English rt. The go-
veniment of this country, bounlja:P°protect them
at home, is also bound to give them what protection
it can abroad; and government has no right to
make any distinction of persons. The bare idea of
doing so is an assumption worthy of being character-
ised in very strong lang,uagewif it were nut more pro-
bably the result of neglect.
All that should be required for a passport in Eng-
land is a man's being identified. This is done through-
out the continent by the mover or the magistrate of
his village or his district. Why should not the same
he the Mae here? If the Foreign-office, indeed, is to
give privileged passports, or the Home or any other
office to give men cheap and vulgar ones, be it
so, provided the vulgar one ensures protection ; that
is the great point. We do nut admire such distinc-
tions, especially when distributed by public servants,
paid by public money. We do not acknowledge
their right to make a distinction that the law dues
not make. Still, if the Foreign-office demand to
prisierve its own 17/1/0018 00 very exclusively, some
other office ought to be open, where Englishmen
could, without trouble or exorbitant demand,
.pro-
cure that written document which entitles a British
subject to protection in foreign countries.

let fur

RAILWAY MEETINGS.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE RAILWAY.
The half-yearly meeting Wile held at the London
Tavern on Fiiday. Dr. Dymond, one of the directors, was
called upon to preside.
The report stated that " the revenue earned within the
half year leaves a net balance of 4.948/., which is equal to a
dividend at the rate of 2i per cent, per annum ; but
bringing forward the balance of the last half year, the ac-
counts show a total balance to revenue of 8,0271. 10s. 4d.,
out of which the directors proposed a dividend for the half
year should be declared at the rate of 4 per cent, per an-
num, amounting to 7,6141., leaving a surplus to be carried
to the next half-year of 4131. The present traffic is at the
rate of 200,000 tons per annum, and as the call for coal on
the Great Northern line idereases, and their means
of tran.it enlarge, this will be greatly augmented, and can
be readily supplied to any extent by the collieries that will
be in connexion with the company s lines. To render the
communications with the collieries north of Barnsley more
complete, the directors have, in conjunction with the Great I
Northern Company, made an arrangement with the LaliCa. ..543
shire and Yorkshire Company, whereby this company has "
acquired a right to run over about five miles of their la..
Barnsley branch at a moderate fixed annual rent. The at.
directors have also concluded with the Great Northern st.
Company a working arrangement, under which this corn.
cweiallnireceed
oivveer•trireitenesumwitttupereasorta,
t'oir,st.otorttemmineral
ttelBlines.
This sum is not to be less than equal to 3 per cent. dividend is
ea the ordinary stock of the company, after discharging all at.
liabilities, east of management, de., and Ist" increase for 33
every wlditionalloo,ooo tons of coal so carried beyond the
fleet 200,000 tons by a sum equal to a farther 10a. per cent. it
dividend, until the dividend shall amount to 41 per cent., gt,
from which point it is never to recede, and is also to ad- 23
vane in the same ratio until it reaches 6 per cent., which IA
is to be the maximum rate."
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the re-
port, said he ought to explain that the formation of the
four per cent. stock might appear to be a breach of faith
after what took place at the meeting held at Sheffield last
half-year, hut it was in consequence or an arrangement
with the Great Northern Company. That arrangement
was only completed yesterday, subject to the approval of the
proprietors.
A long discussion ensued, in the course of which the
Chairman stated that, according to the agreement the com-
pensation was fixed at 450,000 tons for 41 per cent., and it
rose a quarter per cent. for every 50,000 tons additional.
The Great Northern would pay the whole expense of work-
ing the line, and take every thing, debts, responsibilities,
benefits, and all.
It was then agreed that the meeting at its rising should I ie
adjourn for a fortnight. 10
fhe CHAIRMAN then moved that a dividend be de-
clared for the half year at the rate of 4 percent. per annum,
which vi as unanimously agreed to.
Mown. Bailey, Roberts, Newman, and Pache were then
re-elected directors; and Mr. Joshua Wilson was re-elected el
auditor. Other resolutions were carried, authorising the 64-
directors to give to the proprietors of the River Dun an im-
mediate 4 per rent. stock in lieu of their present navigation Is
' shares ; that the directors be also authorised to guarantee et
4 per cent. to such of the shareholders as may chuse‘e to ac- es
eept it, instead of coming in under the agreement, and also M.
authorising them to borrow money for that purpose.
A vote of thanks was then given to the chairman, and
the meeting separated.

EASI AND WEST YORKSHIRE.—The ordinary
half-yearly meeting of shareholders in this company was
held in Leeds on Friday. D. W. Nell, Esq., presiding.
The report stated that the revenue account (after deducting
1861. 190. 9d., the balance of last half-year), showed the
sum of 2,3751. Bs. Bd. OA receipts fur the half-year ending
31st December last, being an excess of 3991. Ils. 7d. over the
corresponding six months of the previous year. The report
was adopted unanimously, and a dividend of 6 per cent. per
annum was declared on the preference shares of the
company.
lleoLrON, BLACNBTRN, CLMIEROR, AND WEST
Rsttwase—The eighth half-yearly meeting
,of the ireholders was held on Friday at their station,
Darwer.-.trot. W. 11. llornhy, Esq., the chairman, pre-
sided. The Chairman regretted very much that the traffic
receipt. hed net equalled the expectations of the directors.
They anticipated that six months after the Clitheroe line
hail been opened the receipts would have been 1,0001. per
week. If it had been so, the company would have been
able to have met all their engagment. was
true that the line was nut in that state of completion which
the dineion could have wished, for there was only one line
or rails nom Blackburn to Clitherse, and no sidings at any
of the stations. The working expenses, since tho terms
which had been agreed upon between the Lancashire and
Yorkshire, had heen reduced 40 pee cent., which was a
greet benefit to the company. The new arrangements had
not increased the amount of traffic upon the Bolton and
Blackburn lin-, a fact which led him to regret that the
terms of the East Lancashire Company hail been rejected.
With reference to the preference shares, the directors had
resolved to withdraw their original proposition, namely,
that the interest on those shares should be reduced from 6
to 5 per cent. A majority of the preference shareholders
had agreed to the reduction, but still there were a number
who were opposed to it—n number which did not warrant
the directors in carrying out their proposition—a number
which might have caused considerable opposition hereafter,
and which, in addition to causing heavy legal expenses,
Might ert litUltly have proved successful. lie thought the
proposition a very fair one ; for, as the line' was in diffi-
culties, it was only right that the preference shareholders
should bear a part of the burden. The surplus of 3,0001.
which appeared in the accounts had already been appro-
priated to the carrying on of the works!. The directors' re-
port was then adopted.
LIVERPOOL, ektOSBT, AND SOUTIIPORE—The
seventh half-yearly meeting of the proprietors of this rail-
way took place on Friday, at the Clarendon-rooms, Liverpool.
W.Earle, Esq. presided. The attendance was not very nume-
rous. The accounts fur the half-year showed a balance to
the credit of revenue of 4,1951. 6s. 10d., from which the
directors recommended the payment of a dividend, at the
rate of 2 per cent. for the past half-year, leaving a balance
to be earned forward of 8381. The directors' report was
adopted.
TAW VALE IlamwaY.—On Friday, the half-yearly
general meeting of the proprietors was held at the
London Tavern ; John Sharland, Esq., in the chair. The
secretary read the report, which stated since the last meet-
ing the directors had liquidated 12,0001. of the liabilities,
estimated at that time at 20,0001. They had also
entered conditionally into a guaranteed contract for
constructing the remaining twenty-six miles of the
line from rnebcrleigh to Crediton, for a sum within
the share capital of the company, namely, 441,0001.
They had also entered into a contract with ble:Brassey for
leasing the line, for a term of seven years, determinable,
however, at the option of the company, that gentleman find-
ing all plant, and paying all outgoing, at a rental of 12,0001.
per annum. A is-manatee of the board had visited all the prin-
cipal towns in the locality of the line, to make arrangements
for raising the 50,0001. in shares, in land or money, Con-
formably with the resolutions of the special meeting of the
29th February, 1850, as the condition on which the directors
might prosecute the works. This committee hail recently
returned from its visit, and, owing to the landowners not
being prepared to name prices for their land, and the resi-
dent committees appointed in the several towns not having
concluded their labour. thedirectors are unable, at this period,
to announce the entire subscription of 50,0001. They believe
they can safely announce that more than half that sum has
been accomplished, or promised, and generally they find a
great desire on every side to see the line completed, as well
as to support it as far as individual means will allow. The
receipts had been 177,4711., and the balance was 6,6691.
The report war adopted, and the thanks of the meeting were
voted to the directors.
MANCHESTER AND SOUTHPORT RAILWAY.—The
balf-yearly meeting of the shareholders was held on Friday.
It is one of the companies amalgamated with the Lanca-
shire and Yorkshire, and takes a dividend of 1 per edit.
kaa than that company. Mr. Gill, chairman of the Lanca-
shire and Yorkshire Company presided, and the Lancashire
ma Yorkshire dividend teasing been fixed at 2 per cent.,
dm present meeting simply had to declare a dividend of 1
per cent., which they did, and then separated.
111ONKLAND RAILWAY.—The sixth general ordi-
nary meeting of the shareholders of the kionkland Railway
Company was held on 'Thursday, at the company's office,
West George-street, John Bain, Esq., of blorriston, in the
chair. The receipts hom traffic show an increase of
931. 75. 10d. on the last, u compared with the preceding half-
year. The net revenue is 8891. 9s more than it was fur the
previous six months, but it is 2641. 15.. 6d. less than the net
revenue for the half year which ended 31st December, 1849.
The revenue account showed a free balance of 8,2411.12.9 d.,
applicable to a dividend upon the consolidated stock of the
company. and upon the six and five per cent. guaranteed
shares. The directors recommended a dividend to be de-
clared at the rate of. per cent. per annum, less income
tax ; and 4191. 24. 7a., the balance of revenue, to be carried
to reserve account. The import was adopted.

Tug. ROTAL MAIL STEAM-SHIP ASIA, Captain
Jadkins, sailed from Liverpool cm Saturday forenoon. She
carried out 100 parengen, a heavy mail, and a very large
cargo of goods. The next incoming steamer is the Africa.
She was to sail from New York on the 26th ult., and may
be expected to arrive at Liverpool on Sunday next.
A MEIUOD OF EXPOSING AN OBNOXIOUS TAX.—
Dropping into a grocer's shop, our attention was drawn to a
ream of brown paper by the words, " Tax on this ream of
paper,'• in very conspicuous letters. Reading on, we ob-
tained the information that the tax amounted to las. 9d.,
and this on a single ream of the coarsest paper, the cost of
which, exclusive of the duty, would be about 11. is. ; so
that the duty was, is rality,above 60 per cont. —Preston
Guardian.