The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-30 00:00:00

WEST END AND CRYSTAL PALACE
RAILWAY.

The first ordinary general meeting of this com-
pany was held yesterday at their offices, Adelaide-place,
London-bridge.
Mr. W. R. THOMAS, the deputy-ehairman (who pee-
tided in the absence of Mr. Geach, M.P., the chairman of
the company), said that it would not be necessary for him,
in opening the proceedings of this their first meeting as an
incorporated company, to trouble them with many
irelimi-
nary remarks. As they were aware, they had now ob-
tained their act of parliament, and were now legally con-
tit uted as an incorporated railway company; fur which re-
sit;t they were mainly indebted to the exertions and Imre-
. mitring attention of their chairman. The folluwing state-
ment had been put into his halide, as explanatory of the
objects of the company and the nature et the ihn., which,
with the permission of the company, he would read:
"t The West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway
commences on the Surrey aide of the new bridge now eon-
struning across the Thames, between Battersea and Pim-
lico, and, passing under the South Western Railway, runs
along the south side of the latter up to Wandsworth Com-
mon, where it forms • junction with the Southampton
main line ; and, crossing the common, traverses the districts
of Balham, Tenting, Streatham, and Norwood, entering the
grounds of the Crystal Palace by a tunnel, where a joint
station will receive the traffic carried ou this and the
Brighton Crystal Palace branch. Passing thence the line
runs down to the Brighton Railway, effecting a function
with it at the Norwood station. Forming thus, as
it does, the west-end feeder to the prystal Pa-
lice, the West End branch and terminus to the
Brighton and South Eastern lines—the only link between
the two Great Southern systems, and the channel by which
any western communication between the railways north and
s mth of the Thames (certain to be one day made) must
piss—this railway cannot fail to become one of the most
remunerative and valuable linen not only in the neighbour-
hood of the metropolis, but in the whole of &Wand. A.
regards its position with the great companies on either side,
the bill was obtained foists in the season, that there has not
been time to enter into any definite arrangements. The
directors may, however, state that the Brighton Company
are fully sensible of the advantages of the west-end termi-
nus afforded them lay this line, and that there is every pros-
pect of a most beneficial arrangement with them ; and they
hope with the South-Eastern also. With the Sfuth-
Western this company are net on absolute terms of hosti•
lily, but the directors feel that, after the opposition made
to the bill in psrliament by that company, the first overture
should not be made by them. A teen short time will theta
tore autli% to place this line in a position of the utmost ad-
vantage to themselves, and benefit to the other companies."
Before this statement was written an agreement had been
entered into with the Crystal Palace Company, of which
the following was an accurate description :—The agreement
which has been entered into by the two boards, subject to
the approval of the proprietors, is simply a traffic agree-
ment, by which it is provided that the Crystal Palace Cum-
psny shall fix the rate at which tickets shall be issued, in-
cluding admission to the palace and transport by their
railway, the proceeds of which shall be divided in the pro-
portion of 4-7 the to the Crystal Palace Company and 3-7ths
to the Railway Company ; and as the Railway Company
are about to expend a large capital on the faith of the
traffic which will be brought to the palace, as a security to
them against the risk of the Crystal Palace Company
fixing rates so extremely low as to leave them without any
adequate remuneration, the proportion assigned to the rail-
way company under this division shall not be less
than Bd. for each passenger to and from the palace.
This agreement bad been duly signed and completed. He
should state, further, that all the shares had been allotted,
and the whole of the deposit, 11.. per share, paid, with the
exception of 1301.; and the financial statement showed
that the receipts to the present time bad been
3.5,9311. 13a. 4d., and the expenses, including law, parlia-
mentary, and engineering charger, 4,2081. Os. 61.- leaving
a balance of 31,7231. 12s. 10d. The outstanding debts of
the company amounted to 4,1891. 135., and the total of the
preliminary expenses was 8,2901.
The following gentlemen were then elected as the three-
ton of the company:—B. Drew, F. Fuller, C. Geach,
at.P , C. J. Rich, W. 11. Thomas, R. Till, J. Treadwell,
and C. L. Webb, Emirs.; and Sir Joseph Paxton and Major
Tyndale.
Resolutions granting 6002 to the directors for their past
services, and a salary of 3001. a year to the secretary, were
then passed ; and the proceedings terminated with the
usual compliment to the chairman of the day.

mine on the COllllO to be pursued by this company. Your
directors are bully alive to the importance of the duties
which tins devolve upon them, and thiy have no fears of
the result, so lung as they possess the confidence of the
proprietors at large, who may depend upon receiving at
their hands the fullest information as to the measures which
it say be considered desirable to adopt for the security of
their interests.

A resolution was paced by which the balance sheet was
declared to be approved of, and the report confirmed.
A dividend of U. Ss. per share, as recommended by the
report, was declared and it was also agreed that the in-
terest on the guaranteed shares should be payable in future
at the same period as the dividends on the consolidated
stock, flaunty, on the ISth March and 15:h September.
A resolution was also passed authoribing and confirming
the forhtiture of 481 new 201. Aare', and of 110 101. stung,
in eons, quence of the nonpayment of calls, amounting in
the aggregate to 2,2201.
A vote of thanks was passed to the chairman and direc-
tors, and the meeting separated.