The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-30 00:00:00

their teaaats, the result being that cultivation was not '
skilful and complete, and the economic vice of inadequate
use of those advantages and that production from land
which might otherwise be obtained. This system bad
!mike.' inequitably and injuriously in this country, while
in Ireland tie evil had been aggravated tenfold.
In a discussion which ensued Mr. Samoa characterised
as a fallacy the statement that the effect of the law of
' distraint was to render landlords indifferent to the
character and skill of tenants, for his experience was quite
the other way ; distraint being the rare exception, not the
rule. He and Mr. Ward, conveyancer of Leeds, stated that
if a tenant, before his rent was due, absconded and sold off
all his goods and stock the landlord had no civil remedy :
this it was argued WWI only a condition of all debts
in future, and tlus stood on the same basis as a bill of
exchange no due.
' The other papers, the reading of which brought the
proceedings of the section to a close, were " On Inventors
and Invention," by Mr. G. Bell Galloway ; "On the
. Occupation and Ownership of Waste Lands," by Mr.
Frederick Wilson ; and " On the Practicability of Em-
ploying a Common Notation for Electric Telegraphy,"
• by Mr. J. G. Joyce. I
At 3 o'clock the closing general meeting of the associa-
tion was held at the Mechanics-hall, Mr. C. GROVE, the
president, in the chair.
The General Secretary (Mr. Hint) read a Eat of grants
' of money made to committees for experiments and
' the promotion of science, and a statement of the papers
' read at the meeting which had hem ordered to be pruned ;
' and
Sir R. Mt:unisex moved a vote of thanks to the Mayor
and the executive body which had prepared for the recep-
tion of the association at Nottingham, stating that at no
place had more cordiality been exhibited than in the town
in which the institution had hold its gathering this year ;
the result being a glorious and nomeerfal meeting.
Dr. PARSE seconded the motion, which was accepted by 1
acclamation.
The Mayor of NOTTINGHAM, in suitable terms, returned
thanks.
Dr. ROBERTSON and Mr. E. J. Lows replied on behalf of
the local secretaries.
Professor PH rues moved a vote of thanks to the Pre-
sident of the Association, which was enthusiastically re-
ceived ; and Mr. Grove having replied, votes of thanks
were moved to all the functionaries connected with the
proceedings of one of the most successful meetings eves
held by the British Association for the Promotion of
Science.

THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE AND MR.
BEALE&

GMAT WESTERN.

GREAT EASTERN.

The Right Hon. Sir A. E. Cockburn, Bart.,
Lord Chief Justice.

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY AITEXIING; ATTGEST 30, 1866.

IGEN CE.

I RAILWAI
EAT
The following correspondence has been for-
warded-10 us for publisation : I The half-yearly ordinary meeting of the share-
-40, Hertford-street, August 22, 1866. , holders of this company was held at the Station at Pad-
Dear Sir,—l regret that I cannot, consistently with dington ; Mr. C. A. WOOD in the chair. The meeting was
very thinly attended,
my arose of public duty, re-appoint you as a revising The SECRETARY (Mr. Saunders) having read the adver-
barrister for the metropolitan district on the ensuing tieement cony the meeting,
registration. The very active and leading part you have The report, an abstract of which has been slimed? Pub'
recently taken in a political agitation of no ordinary Haled, was taken as read-
character would, as it appears' to me,_ make such an The CHAIRMAN, in moving its adoption, said it was his
appointment inexpedient Mr the public service. las duty to submit to the meeting some general observations
vs/ far from thinking that to entertain or to epon it. At the close of the last megaton of parliament her
express decided polit'cil opinions ought to be con- aLsiesti congratulated the nation unon the aocomplish-
adored as disqualifying a member of the bar from meat of a great public work, stating is affect that the
holding office as a revising barrister. In making these queen had been placed in direst intercourse with the Pre-
appointments I have looked only to the fitness of the sideot of the United States. This company had largely
oandid..tes, and have never stopped to inquire what contributed towards the carrying out of that great under-
wero their political views. But, on the other hand, I taking of connecting the Old World with the New ; for at
must say I do not think it desirable that a gentleman • time when his services were of the greatest imeortasce
holding what in the view of many persons would be , to the Great Western Company, they had lent their inesti-
deemed extreme opinions and occupying • prominent mable chairman (Mr. Daniel Gooch) to aid them in cam
posit'on in the political ;mare of the day—whether on pleing the laying of the cable. During the three
the one side or on the other-should be appointed to de- years he had been • member of that board, gentle-
cide judicially on the claims of persons to vote in the oleo • wen had spoken of the increased revenue, the increased
tion of members of parliament. Ido not indeed, for my expenditure, and the diminished divideods. lie would
own part, believe that members of the bar, though enter. • tell the shareholders what were their present revenue, ex-
tabling strong !Withal views, might not in the vast mainf penditure, and dividends, and what they bad been since
rity of instances be solely intrusted with the dui}, of the Great Western had been an amalgamated compeny.
deciding on the political rights of persons holding oppo. I He was there to disclose everything, and to fully and fairly
site opinions. lam fully satisfied that no strength of poll. • place before those interested their exact position. They
tired biaswould impair the perfect integrity and sense of would remember that the company was amalgamated in
lice which you would bring to the discharge of judicial the rummer of 1863 ; he would therefore take themf from
functions, even on • political matter. But I cannot that period, which would include the three years the
help thinking that in the appointment of a revising bar. ' present administration. He world give them the first
sister something more is required than the assurance that hall of the three years respectively. For the period ending
the officer appointed will discharge his duty honestly and Jul, 1964, the recWids were 3,313,000/. ; the expenditure,
idleiently. -It is not enough that the partisan and fervid , 1,786,0001.; and the divisible balance, 1,527,900/. For
I politician of to-day may be trusted to assume tomorrow I the six months ending July, 1865, the re-
the calmness and freedom from bias and passion which are osipte were 3,491,0001. ; the expenditure, 1,99/40001.;
essential to the office of the judge. Some consideration is, I and the divinable balance, 1,611,0001. In the present half-
I think, due to the parties whose rights are about to be ' year, endieg July, 1866, the reeeipts were 3,619,0001., the
dealt with ; nor, in my humble judgment, should any one expenses 2,175,000 i., and the divisible balance 1,443,003 f.
be appointed to adjudicate on those rights who is certain He admitted that according to the figures of the last three
to prove unacceptable to • considerable portion of those sears the resat had undoubtedly shown • smaller dividend
who will have to appear before him. We all know how 'as compared with the receipts and expenditure. But that
much of passion and prejudice is ever mixed up with every. could be accounted for. When his friend Mr. Potter was
thing that has relation to politics, and under no oft. • the chairman of the company, he told the shareholders,
ounistanoes is the judicial office so eubj mt to I and urged upon them most warmly, that it was necessary
suspicion and distrust as when the subject-matter ' for a large expenditure to be made out of revenue to enable
of the judgment involves considerations of a political the officers of the company to accommodate the traffic,
character. The reasons for which the judges of the and to carry on the line in a satisfactory. manner. He was
lend are expected to abstain from mixing in party strife haPPI to my they were a united hrds and he hoped •
appear to me to apply with equal force to every form of • united seoniny. It would be useless and unwise to say
the yudicial office in which questions of • political naure I anything of past sectional differences, and it was not ea-
, can arise, and eminently so to that breech of it which has cessary to mention any particular branch upon which ex-
'to deal with the right of voting for members of parliament. penditure was necessary. Suffice it to say, that it was
It would be vain to expect that the decisions of one indispensable, and was now proving how advantageous it
deemed to be • strong political partisan, fresh from the ' was to them, thus showing that the advice of Mr. Po:;ter
heat and turmoil of political conflict, could carry with them was quite sound, and i•ended to the general impro ,ement
that confidence which it is so essential that the admink. 'of the concern. He then came to the comparative position
tration of judicial functions should always inspire. The of the increase and decreme of every item chargeable to
beaten suitor, if belonging to the opposite party, would the revenue of the part half-year, and here he you'd
I naturally be disposed toe
,ce Ms defeat to the explain why the accounts were not presented in the
partiality or bias of the judge and his friends would be , amended form as promised. It was the first half-
eon reedy to share in his belief. In the course of an • year that the Vale of Heath had been brought
extensive registration questions of ninety and diffi- into their account', and to give them as amended
oulty frequently arise in which evidence and either this or next half-year would create the
arguments are clearly balanced, in which each 1 greatest confusion, but he would undertake to show that
party are sanguine of success, in which the judge does not dunn. g the half-year there had been a great improvement.
pronounce without hesitation, and in which the grounds I It must be admitted that there was no railway in the
of the decision will not always carry conviction to the kingdom the management of which was entiled to greater
minds of there to whom it is adverse. In such cases, i/ respect or admiration than the London and North
the judge is known to be a man of extreme seal and ardour Western. It was never convenient to compare the pro
in political matters, there will be—such is human nature i seeding of one company with another but the board of
—a tendency to suspect, however unjustly, that the that company, stan ea it did, could not complain if a
decision, if not absolutely corrupt, has at all events been comparison were made wean themselves and the Great
influenced by the party feeling of the judge. Every Western. No man had devoted more time to the interest of
unbiased mind will I think agree with me that this is a the LondonandNorthWesternCompanythanhadlitr. Moon,
result which should be avoided, if possible, in the in. the chairman. That gentleman told the shareholders last
area of the suitor, the public, and the judge himself. week that so exceptional had been the previous half yes,
The defeated suitor should at least have the satiates:. that the increased necessary working expenses bad leen
tion of feeling that he has suffered nothing from the par- lid. per train mile run. Under the same circumstances
tislity or unfairness of the judge. The judge, on the the Great Western had not exceeded id. per train mile.
other hand, should have the satisfaction of know- That was an earnest of the company's progressing in •
ing that the party against whom he decides can have satisfactory direction. The greatest economy had been
no ground for questioning the purity of his motives, or exercised, and no doubt on the return of the chairman
the honesty of his judgment. I am reluctant to de- they would endeavour to see whether they could not make
part from the usual course of re-appointing gentlemen a better arrangement of the trains in order to
who have served the offiee of revising barrister in elicit a further raving on the mileage ; and
the preceding year, but as each annual appointment be was not satisfied that they could not make
is to all intents and purposes a new one, I think that still more monomial improvements. With regard
where a state of circumstances has arisen which, had to the accounts, he admitted that the item of 25,0001. for
they then existed, would have deterred me from making maintenance of way was large, and they most expect it
the appointment in the first instance, I ought not to to be so for two or three years to come. At the same time
renew it. And inasmuch as, had you now applied to he was confident that it was impossible to have a more
me for the first time, I should not, for the reasons I efficient officer then Mr. Lane, or one who could better
have already given—whatever might have been my min apply the resources placed in his charge. Coming to the
confidence in you, or my desire, personally, to oblige Vale of Heath agreement, the advice of Mr. Potter had
you—have felt justified in appointing you, it ap. been found sound and advantageous to the company. The
pears to me that I cannot with propriety renew your ap• net profit during the half-year of the Vale of -Heath, was
pointment on the present occasion. I have entered thus within 2,000/. of the 42,0. guarantee. He felt that in
fully into the reasons which have influenced me in not re- future it would produce large increase to the Great Western
appointing you, in order that you may see that I have not re emus, and that Mr. Potter ought to he thanked for
acted arbitrarily, or without having given full consider"- OH I ying through the negotiation. Al to their own traffic,
tion to the matter. I trust you will do me the justice to there had been • satisfactory increase from the various
believe that it is not on account of the particular opinions feeders and the coal traffic. The loss sustained by the
you have recently been advocating that I have thought it cattle plague— although they never carried much cattle—
right to adopt the course lam now taking. I proceed on had been made up by the dead meat carried, which
the simple principle that it is desirable, for the reasons I amounted during the half-year to 7,422/. Another new
have already set forth, that the office of adjudicating on source of traffic was that in milk. During the half-year
electoral rights should not be committelto judges whom the they had carried no less than 1,500,000 gallons—or in
fervour of political seal and the championship of particular other words 118,000 cans filled, and above 100,000 cans
opinions may tend to deprive of the confidence of a portion empty. The traffic bad oome so suddenly upon the core-
r) those on whose claims they are to decide. I shall re- piny, that the officers were entitled to the greatest credit
gret if my decision herein should cause you an annoyance. Mr the satisfactory manner in which they had conducted
I trust you will believe that lam actuated by no other it. It promised to become a permanent business upon the
motive than a conscientious sense of public duty. I had line. There had also been a large increase in the fish trade,
much satisfaction in appointing you when you applied to which would be still greater when opened up to Ireland.
me in 1861. I should have been glad to renew the appoint- The excursion traffic had engaged their attention, and
meet this year, but, as I have already explained, Ido not while they had determined not to run too many excursion
feel that I could do so with a proper regard to what is trains they intended to give the poor men facilities for
due to those on wbose rights you would have to adjudi. travelling by running cheaper. ordinary trains. In the year
cats.—l remain, dear sir, yours faithfully, 1865 they carried 48,000 e xeursonists, for which they received
Edmond Beales, Req. A. E. COCKBURN, 16,0001., while for the half of the present year they had
i 20 000 mons and received 10 000/ DO that
the number carried
e
P.S.—You are at libe-ty to make what use you please of carr ed
had no been reduced, whilst - - -
this le Aar. lam desnaus it should be known that it is had been less
not from any doubt of your faithfully discharging the . This policy was adopted in order to avoid
the disturbance of the traffic, and the inconvenience of
duties of the office that I have refrained from again appoint
ing you. the regular cu stoniers. He then referred to the pro
ceedings of the last session of parliament, the result of
Osborn-house, West Brompton, August 24, 1866. which on the whole must, he said,be considered satisfactory.
Lord,—l feel certain that it must have been as pain. Mr. R. POTTER seconded the motion.
ful for you to write as for me to receive the letter which After a lengthened discussion therepurtwaeunanimously
reached me yesterday eveeing,. comm inicatieg. your inten. adop'-ed.
Sion of not renewing my appointment as revising barrister Upon the motion of the chairman the following
for the county of Middlesex, not on account of any deft- deeds were declared payable :—On Great Western f sous
ciency on my part in discharging the duties of the office, lidated stock at the rate of 21. per cent. per annum ;on
hut solely on amount of the active and leading part I have West Midland (Oxford) stook at the rate of 17a. per amt.
recently taken in a political agitation of no ordinary che.l per annum ; on West Midland (Newport) stock at the rate
meter ; this making, as your lordahip considers, my re- i of 17s. per cent. per annum ; and on South Wales oonsoli-
appointment inexpedient for the public service. I dated stock at the rate of 31. ss. per cent. per annum.
appreciate to the utmost the kindly and friendly A formal resolution was then pasa authorising the di-
spirit which pervades your lordship's letter, and which rectors to raise a sum not exmvling 390,ai1wa0001., as
under the
was also
induced you to enter so fully into the reasons which have one for the transfer of the Wycombe Ry
influenced your decision. I accept at once, and in the fell sat of 1866.
assurance of its truth, your lordship's statement that you An extraordinary general meeting was then held, when
are actuated by no other motive than a conscientious sense a resolution was passed sanctioning an agreement with
of public duty, and I am as fully conscious of having the Llangollen and Corwen Railway Compsnyfor the main-
myself been actuated by no other sense, by none but the tenanoe, working, and user of their railway.
most pure and upright motives in all my conduct, both A cordial vote of thanks was passed to the deputy-chair-
professional and political. I have the entire testimony of man for presiding, and the proceedings terminated.
my own conscience that you do me no more than simple
justice when you express yourself as fully satisfied that no
strength of political bin would impair the perfect integrity
and sense of justice which I would bring to the discharge of
judicial functions, even on a politicalinatter, and that your
refraining from again appointing me is not from any doubt
of my faithfully discharging the duties of the office. The
best proof of this being but simple justice to me is, that I
have never yet discharged the duties of my office without
being as warmly complimented by the conservative aa by
the liberal agents for my perfect impartiality. Moreover,
you may remember that when you kindly did me the ho-
nour of first appointing me to the office it was by appointing
me as additional revising barrister, in consequence of the
register being is such a state that the ordinary staff of bar-
risters could not get through the onerous work of revising
the lists. I have both pleasure and pride in being able to
state that my exertions have rendered that duty • com-
paratively easy one, and that the register is now more
perfect and correct than it had been for years
before my appointment. Under all the circumstances I
trust I may be exeused, when, with all the unfeigned
respect and warm esteem which I entertain for your lord-
ship, I venture to surest whether some proof or well-
founded complaint of inefficiency or partiality in the dis-
charge of my duties ought not to have preceded such a
measure as that of not renewing my appointment. I have
said I have felt pain, my lord, in receiving your communi-
ties, but the pain is not so much on account of the loss,
and the other, possibly, serious consequent injury to
myself in my profession, or the unjust or malevolent
reflections it may bring upon me in some quar-
ters, as on account of the very injurious and
dangerous effect it may produce on the public
mind, especially in forcing the people to the con-
viction that no man, particularly no man in such a situation
or profession as mine, however upright in the discharge of
his functions can sincerely and warmly advocate what he
consider, their rights without the risk of subjecting him-
self to very serious personal loss, to the possibility of being
made a victim of party misrepresentation and rancour;
and that for a man to hold any judicial position it is
necessary for him to suppress and stifle his real and honest
opinions.
Thanking your lordship again, and very sincerely, for all
your kind and flattering expressions towards myself, and
for the permission to make what use I please of your letter
—which I presume includes its publication, if
and deeply regretting, for personal as well as more w ' ty
rosaries, that your lordship should have felt it advisable
and right to withhold the renewal of my appointment, I
am, my lord, yours very truly and faithfully,
EDMOND BILLS&

After the close of our yesterday's report,
Colonel PALMER defended the position of the Northern
and Eastern directors. Their concern had always paid
the Great Eastern Company 10 or 12 per cant., and they
should be glad to take it back as soon as the Great Eastern
shareholders were tired of it.
Mr. W. Arneue complained of the high rate of the
working expenses and of the payment of 4,0001. to the
directors. The had sustained a loss of no leas than
20,0001. by the lease of 'the Blackwell line.
The Climax...2i said that the loss upon that lease
instead of being 20,0001. was only 7,0001. or 8,0001.
After some other conversation, in which various share-
holders took part,
Dr. O'itr.zur expressed a desire to get rid of the " ex-
traneous" directors who paralysed the energies of the
board, and whose only desire was to aggrandise their own
names at the expense of this company.
Mr. L. SIMI'Sole appealed to the chairman whether those
whom Dr. O'Reilly called " extraneous "directors had not
rendered him a loyal, an honest, and an earnest support in
all die measures which he had recommended for the
benefit of this company.
, The CHAIRYAR confined himself to bearing testintoey to
I the zeal amiability of Mr. Simpson, than whom be said he
had never had a more hard working colleague.
A SHAREHOLDER inquired why Mr. Maynard had been
removed from the office of solicitor to the company std
had been replaced by Mr. Shaw.
Mr. G. Smrrif (a director) said that the pinching of the
shoe arose from the difficulty of raising the money to carry
on the metropolitan extensions which had been oom-
menoed or undertaken. That, however, was en ember-
: moment which had been created, not by the present
board, but by the old one, and the only consolation which
they had was that these extensions were likely ultimately
to turn out profitable. He believed that there was a
I future for this concern, and that the development of the
coal and general traffic would enable them to earn an
honest dividend upon the capital they had invested.
Mr. LEGO (of Leeds) called attention to the suspense
account, amounting to 57,4144., and recommended that it
should be carried to capital account.
The CHATRIIAN, in his reply, said that the change of
solicitor involved no reflection upon Mr. Maynard, bat
had arisen from that gentleman declining, as a =water of
professional etiquette, to be associated with Mr. nailer.
The preference stock upon which dividends would set be
paid was that which was created at the time of the amal-
gamation, or since the year 1862. He hoped that the divi-
dends which were not paid upon the stock would be made
upat Christmas. The deficiency was about 80,0001.
qeestion of the steamboat traffic was under
the consideration of the directors. After the lest
Yesterday, a number of men were employed in meeting he remonstrated with Mr. Beevis for saying
pulling down hont which were sold the previous day by that since the amalgamation no dividend had been earned ;
auction. to be cleared away for the enlargement of the but since then be had seen cusses to believe that that
government Mims in Downingwtreet. gentleman was right, mid that the same win* ball been

divided had been obtained by charging against capital
400,0001. or 500,0001. expended tyun rotting stuck, which
ought to have been charged against revenue. He did not
•
know any branch line upon the working of which they were
making a profit. The directors were about to inquire
thoroughly into that subject, and the policy they intended
to adopt was this, where trains were making a profit they
would be fostered ; and where they were not, they would
be reduced to the parliamentary limits. (Cheers.)
The motion for the adoption of the report was then put
and unanimously agreed to.
Upon the motion of Mr. Lane (of Leeds) the directors
were authorised to plus to capital account the balance of
the suspense account, amounting to 57,414 f. 2s. ld.
At the instance of Kr. C. Leon, @worded by Dr.
Olticrur, a relation was adopted requesting the direc-
tors to obtain parliamentary powers, vesting the election
of the directors et the Great Eastern Company in the
whole of the shareholders of the company, whether pre-
ference, ordinary, or otherwise.
The next business was the elution of directors in the
plum of Mr. C. H. Turner, Mr. Beavie, and Sir K. C.
Kerrison, Bart. All these gentlemen were proposed fee
re-election, and they were all unanimously re-ilected. The
election of Mr. Turner, the chairman, was greeted with
loud and prolonged cheering, which that patieman
ably acknowledged.
acknowledged.
Mr. H. Eloper was re-elected one of the auditors of the
company, and the proceedings terminated with a cordial
vote of thanks to the chairman and directors.
At a speed board meeting, which was held immediately
afterwards, Mr. C. H. Turner wu re-el-eted chairman,
and Sir K. C. Iremison, Hart., M.P., deputy-chairman, of
the company.