The Express.
London, England, 1862-05-29 00:00:00

ATTEMPTED NUICIDI EN THE METROPOLITAN RAILWAY.

John Frecnicre, aged 30, • dischariedsoidied.,;;;Chaiged
with attempting to commit suicide by attempting to throw
himself into the cutting of the Metropolitan Railway, at
Charlotte-street, St. Pancras.
From the evidence of Richanl Parker, a workman em-
ployed on the line, it appeared that this morning between
3 arid 4 he saw the prisoner clamber up the walls en-
duing the railway and get over. He ran and caught hold
of his baud, and held him. Had it not been tar the assist-
ance of two of the neighbours who ran out in their shirts,
he must have let him fall into the cutting, a distance of
about 50 feet. On the way to the station, the prisoner
mid he was a discharged soldier, awl had hail a wouud on
his bead which sometimes took away his reason.
The defendsot said he wu sorry for what he had done,
but he did not know what he was about.
Mr. D'Eyucourt mot the prisoner to the workhouse.
WANDSWORTFI.
NOSE CONVICTIONM FOR WORM).
Robert !'Anson, of Mickleham, Surrey, and John Skeet,
of Malden, were summoned before Mr. logham, for smoking
[nein tobacco Ina third-class carriage on the South Western
railway.
Mr. T. Bent attended to support the summonses on behalf
el` the company.
The cases were taken separately. The defendant I'Anson
plaided guilty.
Mr. F. Prince, engineer, of Epsom, stated that on the
44 inst. he was in a third-class: carriage in a train from
Waterloo, in which there were fifteen persona, six of
whom were ladies. The defendant and others commenced
smoking, to which be objected on account of its being a
cdase carriage, and more especially because of the presence
of females. They, however, persisted in smoking all the
any.

lie defendant said that he asked all the passengers
whether they objected to smoking, and none objected but
tins gentleman. Two or three started smoking. and he
sent in a corner of the carriage to smoke his cigar.
Mr. Ingham fined the defendant 40s. and 10s. costs. He
that if the defendant continued to smoke after being
cautioned he mast pay for it.
le the other case Mr. Prince said the defendant smoked
a pipe. He complained to an officer of the company, at
V4uxhall. but the defendant continued smoking, and at
Wimbledon one of the adios was obliged to get out.
The defendant denied that be smoked or bad a pipe.
Mr. Ingham also fined him 40a. and 10n. costa.
There was a wood summons against the same defendant
for interfering with the comfort of certain passengers.
Mr. Prince said the defendantused offensive language to
I im after he had objected to his smoking ; and one remark
that if he did not hold his tongue he would cram the

mackerel he was carrying into his mouth. Willman replied
that if it was cooked he should have no objection.
Mr. Ingham said the witness appeared to treat the lan-
guage as a little chaff.
The defendant said he did not annoy him ; they only had
• little joking.
Mr. Ingham dismissed the summons.
The penalties and costa were paid.

CALCUTTA AND warm EASTERN RAILWAY.

(THIB DAY.)

The fifth ordinary general meeting of this com-
pany took place today at the aloes, Gresham Howe, Old
%ead•atreet: ll,rt lloaasnsms is the chair.

A report, of which the following is an abstract, was
taken as read : " The line was opened to Chappahattes,
fifteen miles from Calcutta, at the beginning of the present i
year ; and it is satisfactory to find, that although the tad- •
fic to which the directors look for the remunerative cha-
meter of the undertaking is that arising from the connexion
of the new with the old port, the inhabitants of the inter-
mediate villages have already availed themselves of the
facilities of the line to a considerable extent, and
the number of ass appears to be steadily oa the in-
crease. The be over Tolly's Canal has been finished, and
that over theFia.lise, which has been the cause of so mach
delay and expense, the directors have every reason to believe
has, by this time, been completed, and a comainnicatioa
established with the Mullah, though it is possible that the
officers of government may deem it advisable to post-
pooe opening the line throughout till after the Monsoon.
The directors are ander the asperity of applying to the
shareholders for an increase of capital, the expenditure on
the line having beea found to exceed the amount which
they were led to believe would be sufficient They would,
therefore, ask permission to raise 50,0001. by shares or de-
bentures, of which, however, only that amount will be
issued which may be found indispensable. Greatly as they
regret this necessity, they have every reason toddies' that,
as their own agent as well as the officers of government in
Calcutta have concurred in the expenditure, it has been
unavoidable. Much of this excess over the estimate is due
to increased scarcity of labour and rise of wages in the dis-
trict But the increased wealth of the native population
thereby indicated will be advantageous to the line when
open. Of the last sum of 50,0001. authorised by the share.
holders to be raised by debenture, on the 18th of Novem-
ber last, 40,0001. only has been sanctioned by the Secretary of
State for Indikaad the lame hasbeen conlioed to this amount."
The engineer's report stated that "Mr. Loagridge, in his
last report, estimated the total cost of the railway. to
at about 334,0001., but it now appears that the ex tare
in India has exceeded the amount calculated, that to
complete errantly and stock the line will cost 376,0001.
It is much to be regretted that these supplementary
estimates, should be required, but it is satisfactory
to remember that the expenditure has been incurred with
the express unction of the government in India in every
detail, and there appeared to be no exception to the pro-
ceedings of the stiff. There are several subsidiary works,
which it will be necessary to undertake, in order to meet
the requirements of the traffic of the two ports of Calcutta
and the Mullah. At Calcutta some plea must be de-
vised for opening communisation between the railway
station and the shipping in the Hooghly. The cheapest
aed simplest plan will be to lay down a line of rails in the
'treats of Calcutta, connecting the terminus with the banks
of the river. This is now being considered by the authori-
ties, and will no doubt be carried out. At the Mullah,
propositions have been submitted to the government for
the erection of jetties into the river with rails laid
on them to be used in the loading and discharging
of vessels, an arrangement essential to the successful de-
velopment of the trade of the new port In addition to
this, it will be impossible long to go on without a dry dock
or slip of some description available for the repair of
vessels frequenting the Mutleh. This subject is also under
the consideration of the engineer in India and the local
government ; and it is very necomary that arrangements
should be made to provide this accommodation."
The CHAIRMAN, ID moving the adoption of the report,
observed that the new works suggested by the engineer
were extremely desirable, and although the Secretary of
State for India bad not at present approved them, there
was reason to hope that he would ere long see the necessity
for granting the wishes of the directors. lie alluded par-
ticularly to the jetties, which were much cleaned for the
purpose doubling ships to discharge their cargoes into the
railway trucks, and he trusted that this object would
shortly be carried out.
Mr. MARSHMAN, the deputy chairman, in seconding the
motion, said it was a source of disappointment to the
directors that they were unable to announce the opening of
the entire line, but it was satisfactory to know that on the
16 miles already opened the traffic in passengers alone was
ee far encouraging as to lead to the belief that
the line would ultimately yield remunerating re-
turns. When they had succeeded in establishing the
desired communication with the boats in order to bring
r::=direct to Calcutta, there could be no doubt that
be one of the most paying lines in India. As
the Mullah, it might be called the Birkenhead of
regarded
Calcutta, and a communication with it was of the highest
importer to the interests of the company.
After some little discussion the report was adopted, and
the retiring directors re-elected, and auditors elected.
The meeting was then made special, for the purpose of
authoriaing the directors to raise an additional sum, not ex-
ceeding 50,000/.
A resolution in accordance with this object was pared,
and the business terminated.