The Express.
London, England, 1851-04-17 00:00:00

SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.

A special meeting of this company took place on
Tuesday at the London tavern, for the purpose of taking
into consideration and for confirming or otherwise= agree-
ment for leasing the South Wales Railway to the Great
Western (the terms of which have already been published),
and for submitting for the approval of the proprietors the
drafts of various bills fur other special purposes; Mr. Talbot,
M.l'., in the chair. The Secretary having read the adver-
tisement convening the meeting, the Chairman called the
attention of the proprietors to an agreement which had fur
some time been under the anxious consideration of the
directors. They had a bill iu parliament fur the pur-
pose of forming a connection with two other lines, and
such a communication was absolutely essential to the
proper development of their traffic. Unless they had
the co-operation of the Great Western Railway, they must
abandon the bill. Again, in proceeding westward,. they
would meet with great,r difficulties in going to Fishguard
than to Milford Haven, but by following out the terms of
the arrangement they would open up a traffic which they
never possibly could obtain were they to prosecute their
line to lishguard. They would then have a direct commu-
nication
with America, the South of Ireland, and with one
of the finest harbours in the world, which would all natu-
rally tend to the development of their traffic. Should they
get 351. per week per mile it would amount to 6,000 r. a
week, which would pay them a live per cent. dividend
under the proposed agreement. He concluded by moving
that the agreement, bearing date March 2(1, liisl, between
certain directors of this company and certain directors of the
Great Western company, fur a lease upon specified terms
and conditions as defined in such agreemait, he approved,
ratified, sanctioned, and confirmed. This was seconded by
Mr. Matthews. The solicitor was about to read the agree-
ment, when Mr. Williams, 31. V., said he considered it per-
fectly useless to have an agreement of that nature read out,
1 and lie should suggest that it be printed and circulated
amongst the shareholders before they should be called upon
to gist it their simetiou. Mr. Turner moved, by way ut un
amendment, that the agreement should be printed and cir-
culated amongst the shareholders. This was seconded by
Mr. Franklyn. The Rev. Mr. Spencer spoke in
favour of the adjournment. Mr. Chapman also sup-
ported the amendment. Mr. Kine then handed in
a protest against the adoption of the agreement.
Mr. Duncan said he had intended to have addressed the
meeting on the subject of the agreement, but as he felt as-
sured the amendment would be carried, and as it was, in
his opinion, so desirable, lie should nut enter upon the
subject.—Several gentlemen then addressed the meeting in
favour of the adjournment, and upon the chairman put-
ting the amendment the show of hands was found to he in
favour of it, upon which I.l=l was demanded by .i director
—Upon the poll being declared, it appeared that there
were for the amendment, present, 753; proxies, 2160;
total, 1,013. Against it, present, 768 ; proxies, 935 ; to-
tal, 1,703—showing a majority against the amendment
of MU. It was stated that the proxies of the
Great Western had nut been used. The origi
nal resolution was then put, when the show of
hands appearing against it, another poll was de-
manded, when there appeared against it 212 votes and 270
proxies, making a total of dl2 ; and fur it 551 votes and
1,705 proxies, making a total of 2,3l6—giving a majority
iu favour of the original resolution of 1,53.1. Considerable
disetission ensued; and on the several bills being introduced
and resolutions put for their approval, a formal opposition
was made by Mr. Duncan, Mr. Nash, and Mr. Bardswell,
who entered protests. Ultimately the tiiliCU.,jUll, which
seemed likely to last all night, was brought to a close, the
oppusitim allowing the bills to puss, on the condition that
their legal right should not be interfered with by the pro
co...dings of the directors stating it was he intention of the
dissentients to oppose the bill ill parliament, both upon
standing orders arid in the conamittee.—Tlie meeting broke
up at half-past seven.

Bow BOILER EXPLO4IONS OFTEN OCCUR.—We
had occasion to visit an extensive work last week, where
a number of steam-boilers were at work, one of them high-
pressure, which had been recently fitted with an apparatus
which, actuated by a flout inside the boiler, indicated when
the water was too high or too low, by blowing an alarum
whistle. Whether the tenter in charge did nut like to have
the whistle always indicating his inattention, or whether it
was by accident, but, at all events, the float was removed,
and the wheel at top being fixed by a nail, the apparatus
was inoperative, and worse than useless, because it led to a
misplaced confidence in a very excellent contrivance.
When the trick was discovered, the tenter alleged that the
float-stone had become disengaged from the copper rod;
but see have a shrewd suspicion that it was disengaged to
prevent the tell-tale informing of his neglect. Thus is it
that the very best, must efficient, and ingenious means that
can be taken to insure safety are, through a perverse inge-
nuity, rendered either inoperative, or what is worse, lead
toe false security, by inducing reliance upon the correct
action of an apparatus which would work with unfailing
accuracy if nut tampered with. If the boiler we have here
alluded to had exploded before the cheat was discovered,
the apparatus would have been held to be faulty, and no
doubt the stoker—who it is to be hoped would have been
the only one killed—would of course have been eulogised
a moat attentive, steady, sober, and careful worluuat
North Britesh
it Sount ST.

Bum LARIES.-

Friday, at the Handaworth Petty Sessions, before John
Williams and I'. Chance, Esqs., Thomas Hall, alias Haines,
John Smith, alias Parkes, henry Dirt. John Hirt, Eliza-
beth Foster, Eleanor Harriman, Harriet Hall, Elizabeth
Moseley, and Catherine Dirt, were brought up charged
with being concerned in a series of burglaries in South
Staffordshire. Mr. James Dos len, draper, of tireet's-green,
West Ilromwieli, stated that he was startled out of his sleep
at half-past four on the morning of the 27th March, by a
violent noise, and he immediately went into the shop, when
he found that the iron bar which secured the shutter had
been removed, and two panes of glass broken, by which
means some burglars had introduced their arms, and stolen
upwards of 40 pairs of boots and shoes. Inspector lkw
produced several pairs of hoots, taken from a house of ill-
fame in the Old-inkleya, Ilinningham, where all the prison-
ers were apprehended. The slaughter of the first witness
identified the boots, and all the prisoners, with the exception
of Elizabeth Foster and Elizabeth Moseley, were committed
on this charge. Mr. limey remit., draper, Snsethwiek,
stated that ou the night of the 24th of March his shop was
broken open, and a quantity of Scotch plaids, shawls, and
prints stolen. Ile was awakened on the night of the robbery.
and found that the shop shutter was taken down and access
obtained into the shop. An attempt woe made by the thieves
to dislodge the ledge of plaster upon which the shutters
rested, and the jemmy discovered at the residence of the
prisoners corresponds with the marks in the plaster.—Thos.
Potter, carpenter and joiner, Smethwick, stated that he saw
the prisoner Hall about three o'clock in the after-
noon of the day of tho robbery hawking sad irons, in
Smethwick, for sale.—A quantity of shawls, were
produced by various pawnbrokers, and identified by Mr.
Fertile as being part of his property.—Hall was com-
mitted to take his trial fur this Au glary. and also the
other prisoners, with the exception of Elearor Harri-
man and John Dirt, who were committed on the charge
of receiving the stolen goods.—Mr. William Ititchies. ofi
the firm of Hunks and Ititchies, tailors and drapers,
Tipton, stated that their shop was broken open on the,
morning of the 29th of March, the bar on the shop window'
having been wrenched from its place. Mr. TbomasEdward
Lakin, surgeon, of Tipton, stated that on the night of the !
robbery, about half-past one, he was passing near Mr.
Ritchie,' shop, when he Base a man having the appearance
of the prisoner Hall, standing in the horse-road, and as Mr.
Lakin approached, the man went into Mr. Ritchics' shop,
being followed by another man, hosing the appearance of
the prisoner Smith.—lnspector Dew produced a silk hand-
kerchief, taken from the neck of the prisoner John Dirt ;
and other property was produced, which was identified by
Mr. Ritchics as being part of their property. The prisoners
Hall and Smith were committed to take their trial for the

in-r.glary, and the other prisoner's for receiving the property.
SILK.—From an article published in the jibuitertr,
it appears that the production of raw silk in France was in
1820, 1,200,000 kilogramme; in 1830, 1,500,000 kilo.;
1840, 2,000,000 kilos ; and 18.30, 2,500,000 kilos. The pro-
duction for the present year is estimated by some autho-
rities at 3.000,000 kilos., but others suppose this to be an
exaggeration. In 1811, the produce of the cocoons was
• 3,998,134 kilos. ; in 1810, 5,2'29,896; in 1830, 7,678,437 ;
and, in 1841, 11,549,288. Thus the increase has been con-
stant, it has not kept pace with the consumption. It
is proposed that the government shall give encouragement
to this branch of industry, in order to relieve the country
from the necessity of obtaining supplies of silk from abroad.
The total production of silk in Europe is estimated at about
8,200,000 kilos., of which France produces about one-third.
The consumption is calculated at About 9,000,000 kilos.; so
that about 800,000 kilos. arc brought from China and
India. The quantity now consumed in Europe is three-
fold what it was at the Ihliculiug of the century.