The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-23 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS.-(THIS DAY.)

Their lordships met at 1 o'clock this day for the purpose
of advancing the Habeas Corpus Suspension Bill a st,ge..
The peers present were—Ministerialists: Th- Earl of Derby.
Duke of Marlborough, Earl of Devon, Earl of Belmore.
Lord Redesdale, Earl of Langford. Opposition : Earl
Russell, Earl of Kimberley, Lord Halifax, Lord Strath.
eden. The Bishop of Gloucester was also present.

HABEAS CORPUS SUSPENSION ACT CON 11 NU-

ANCE.

The Earl of DERBY moved the the find reading of this
bill, and fixed the second reading for Monday next, the
standing orders to be then suspended.

Agreed to.
Second reading fixed for Monday.
Their lordships then adjourned.

GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY.-(THIS DAYj

The half-yearly meeting of shareholders was
held at 11 o'clock at the King's.croas terminus, Cvl. PACK!.
M.P., in the chair.
. . . . . . .

The report, which had been previously issued and pub.
lished, having been taken as read,
Before affixing the seal of the company to the register
,
the Chairman stated that the increase in the number a
proprietors in the last half-year was 4410, and thatthe total
number on the register was now 8,434.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
said it was of rather greater length than usual, because
the board wished to explain everything on that wet.
non as fully as possible. The director. of course re.
gretted having had to announce a reduced dividend ;
but he thought that was satisfactorily explained;
The capital bad been increased by 660,0001.,
213,000/. of which was expended on lines under construe.
tion which would soon 13:ien and yielding revenue. At
present interest was charged for those lines without any
benefit being received by the company. The revenue of
railway companies was unavoidably variable. During the
last half-year the excursion traffic had been less than usual,
owing to the bad weather and the commercial losses,
which bad prevented many persons from going to the sea
side. The goods traffic had suffered from different causes,
and the cattle traffic from the cattle plague. Then, agate,
though the receipts were 44,0001. more than in the cor-
responding half of last year, the working expenses
increased concurrently to the extent of 38,000/. The
increased expenditure on coal was 19,0001., and on
wages 10,0001. The cost of the maiutainauce of the road
showed a diminution in consequence of the use of
improved mile. Last year five miles had been relaid
with steel rails and ZS with heavier metal than was used
before. L'pon the rolling stock there had also been an
unusual outlay, and 443 waggons had been rebuilt, that
being 90 in excess of the ordinary number. He congratu.
lated the company on having a very large amount of their
debenture debt in the form of debenture stock—a
circumstance which had placed them in a much better
position than many other companies. Instead of
baying a number of bills before parliament they
were now at peace with all their neighbours, and he
hoped they would continue at peace with them. (Cheers.)
The lines under construction would, he believed, prove
remunerative ; and the simple object of the few bills which
they had in parliament was to enable them to carry
out agreements entered into with other companies a year
or two ago. He concluded by stating that he should be
happy to answer any question. (Cheers.)
Mr. SENERA HOONER congratulated the meeting on the
announcement, so very unusual in that room, that them
was to be no new expenditare. (Hear, bear) He con-
tended that the audit was not sufficiently close sad
stringent, and that, as was done in the case of the London
and North Western Railway, the auditors should be con-
stantly watching and checking the expenditure. He con-
demned the use of proxies by the directors as tending to
swamp the influence of independent shareholder,.
A SHAREHOLDER thought they might well rejoice that
they were not as many other shareholders were.
One cause of that was, he believed, that the directors were
not mixed up with other companies, to which he would
add that all companies which cultivated Sunday excursion
traffic saw their stock low in the market. (Hear, hear.)
Alluding to the public distrust with regard to railway de-
bentures he observed that what had recently occurred
with regard to foreign lams should convince the public
that after all there was greater stability in railway de.
bentures than in securities of that kind.

A SiLutetioLDEß complained that 11,0001. revenue re-
ceived for the sale of commissioned stock was carried to
the revenue account instead of the construction account.
If that had not been done the dividend would have been
smaller. He expressed strong dissatisfaction at the ex-
penditure of such a large amount on metropolitan eaten•
11101111 which could not yield a sufficient return. In con.
nexion with that subject he deeply regretted the retire-
ment of Mr. Denison.

A SHAREHOLDER thought the preceding speaker took
rather too gloomy a view of matters. He for one hoped
that even the London, Chatham, and Dover would get np.
Too many railway extensions were like too many olive
branches, they tended to impoverish tl:e parent stew.
(Laughter.) It was most lamentable that the accidents
on that line had cost the company on the :iveruN about
2:8,000f. a year. The present law on that subject was
most unjust to railway proprietors. In his opi-
nion there ought to be a limit to the amount of
compensation ; and in order to become entitled to compen-
sation in case of accident passengers should be required to
pay something extra for a risk ticket.
Mr. JOHN Mow AN, one of the aulitors, defended the
auditors against the supposition that their audit was not
adequate, observing that it was quite independent of the
directors. Mr. Hughes had been with the auditors, and
admitted that the audit was satisfactory.
Mr. HUGHEN denied that. (Laughter.) For instance,
he was not satisfied with the passing of the item of tift7
guineas paid to Mr. Denison's son for sitting by his father a
aide at a meeting.
Mr. MORGAN then entered into minute details
as to the mode of conducting the audit, in order to show
that it was thorough and comprehensive, adding that if
there were any branch of the accounts on which the pro.
prietors would like a written report they should have it.
Captain FITAHAERICE, the other auditor, adverting to
the 11,011 W. arising how the sale of uniasuea stock, stated
that he had opposed its being placed to the revenue
account—(hear, hear)—and that only • small majority of
the directors decided in favour of that course.

The CHAIRMAN, in replying, observed that the board
were perfectly willing to meet the board of the Great
Eastern Railway to-morrow if they would consent to any
proper agreement. (Hear, hear.) The Edgware and
flornsey extensions were Mr. I)cnisou's propo-
sitions. He (the chairman) was not fond of expending
fresh capital, and the board did all it could to moid that.
(Hear, hear.) As regarded the London, Chatham, and
Dover Railway, he hoped that arrangements would soon
be made for an increased traffic of coal to the south.
The Great Northern Company had a rent charge then, which
must be paid. The Midland company now paid to that
company a rent of C. 7,000/. a year, and it was haul to
pay 20,1100/. a year up to Is7l. As reganled the 11,uuV. re-
ceived from the sale of unissued stock be remarked that
the reason why it was put to revenue was th t the pro.
prietors paid a high rate of interest last year, and the
directors thought they ought to have the 11,0001. now in
return.

Dividends is accordance with the nlwni were thew
declared.

The retiring directors, Major Anisinck, Colonel the Hon.
O. Duncombe, Mr. Turner, M.P., and Mr. Waterhouse,
M.l'., were re-elected.
Mr. John Morgan was re-elected auditor.
Mr. HUGHES then moved the following resolution:—
" That in the opinion of this meeting it is improper for
any officer of the company who is a proprietor of (reset
Northern Railway stock to vote on any question between
the directors and any of the proprietors."
The resolution having been seconded,
A SHAREHOLDER opposed the motion on the ground that
it would cast an improper slur on the officers of the
unn-
pany, who would of course vote in accordance with what
they conceived to he their interest as proprietors. (Hear.)
The SOLWID IR of the Comport), (Mr. Leech) sail the re-
solution, if passed, would be illegal. Officers who were
proprietors could not be deprived by a resolution of I;..ir
right to vote as proprietors. (" Hear. hear," :red ei it •of
" Withdraw it.")
. . . .

Mr. HI'OHRS. in reply, said he only intended the reso-
lution as a suggestion on a matter of del icaev. 11,,ughter.)
Practically the directors could have no ilactiltv in earl-
ing out his object.
The CH AI RMAN observed that he was not aware. nor were
the other directors aware, who were the officers teat
hell stock, and therefore they could not marshal them for
their own purposes.
On a show of hands, 27 hands were held up in f.o.:eur
of the resolution, and 34 against it ; and it was accm,lingly
lost.
Mr. H E, then moved :—" That in the npinion of this
meeting the directors ought not. unless in e.e.e, of also-
lute necessity. to fill up the vacsiich-s iu their
body occurring h 7 any other cause than that of going out
of office by rotation ; but should give to the prmoi. tors of
Great Northern Railway stock the "ppm tmoty, a, eon-
teniplated by the legislature, of exerci,ing their choice is
the selection of new directors."
Mr. MARRIOTT seconded the resolution.
The CHAIRMAN said, having been a director 24 years. he
did not remember any case in which a director
pointed whom the proprietors ilid not approve. It w.. 11
impossible, however. for the board to avoid uP
vacancies as they arose ; they would not be a I.int with-
out doing that.
On the question being put :ii; bands were held up for
and 27 against the resolution. The announcritirlit of the
result was followed by loud cheers.
Mr. tiII:HES-1 suppose the chairman willdem old a pelf.
The C KAIRM AN—/ SM. (ExprelanOlis of disapprobation,
including one or two cries of " Shame.")
Mr. J. H. AMTELL, a director, drew attention to the fact
that the directors themselves had abstained front voting.
The notice of the resolution which was appended to the
report had, on the one hand, brought a larger attendance
there than had been witnessed for some time. and, on the
other hand, had elicited from a great number of proprie.
tors their proxies, accompanied in many cases with strong
opinions against the resolution.
The Proceedings had not quite terminated when our re•
port left.

F

r

i

(:TN LoYiwN RAILWAY e,PMPANY.
• 11I1S DAY./

half-ycarly nm(..ting of this Corn-
, r'.ll ,t 10.01 at the office,. Eli-ton-
:v., Ctvt c a in th• i,.dr.
•••• • a . ti.t road the not iro convening the meeting.
ill ! iZ .1tr.111,1 of arc..unts, which leave been
• I. wet, takon ti, mad.
• - IN. in 111,A adoption Of the report.
rm. :he p.od Italf•year Ilia not some out
• as cuithi he .h•sire,l. The receipts
that, •tst; showiou an increase of :Vt,lloo/..
• I o :I. the- peri,,,l of the last half
I. i.t.tdolititi..• on the other hand was very
to a gt..,1 111,1SIIIC from the intro-
it •0 th. tuct.unt, of the City Exten-
- ~'i front t payint id of rompoutation for
• had w6ornnc,telc occurred during the
• . uitia h h., att...uut of vigilance of the eon,-
' - • call W. a pt event. A very consi-
r.• o-a••••• had adat 0.114,11 place in rtes and
.luts on to-tenor traffic. Additional
Its pet or for the use of the working-
.t, th- ott.rnie...: and evening, :old though the
td v. to lory dasiotu. that this accommodation
, •

.• . pomcimleml, day made to allowance for the
-•1 m•\ pm mliture to which the COlsillaily was
t ,•• im-somssin.ait of duty on the traffic.
.1 as duty oii passorn;cr traffic alone amounted
m' 4.tato/.. and he thought that the company
d ,t mcao•ti to complain of the conduct of the goveno
: .1. ,p• •-t to this matter. had it not been for
im mai chargcs. there would he no rea.son to
ati of tla • result of the half year. With
1- ti t ilk r,•ecipts, it would he olwo•rved
r. nett that th, total intimate for the sic Months
. : aVaihdat. Imalance after the payment
.m.,.-• c.t un dcbeeiture. was 2.9.032 f.

)i T. •1..11N 5....TT 5t.C.•11.11,1 the :UlOO.lOll of the report.
NN Nr• I Collip6lllol d.f the unsatisfactory cha-
t of the reis•rt owl the reilliction of the dividend,
••i .ft r s•olie "loon v:it ions crop, the 4liairman in reply.
Tie motion iv., put and unanimously adopted.
A ilivi•leml at the rite of per cent. On the preference
•••.ek. making 4.: per cent. for the 12 months ; and 21
• I n!. 011 tho ordinary stork, making for the 12
this, •leelareil, and a resolution authorising
• •..- • ..e• into htork of 1111. share capital, created
.aelet the company's City Branch Act of 18W, was ll11:111i-
...P. of thanks to the Chairman concluded the pro-

1 ETTIN(I IN LOND)N.F-(THIS DAY.)

H VAST Two o'CLocK.

A large le ist,r as usual uu Saturday, but 110
ty great amount of business transacted. Plaudit
the l'wo Thousmvi and The Rake for the Derby °e-
tape .about the s.inie position as yesterday, more layers,
ti t .lo.iv, for the Liverpool Grand National was in
get :it force. and quickly bee:lino first favourite at 100 to 7
itd. Little vlse of consequence was trAusacted.
t; n.t follow :

CRAND NATI( oNAL.
oo to i agst Shaloprare (t and otf)
lon to -- Columbia (olf)
211 to Sllniey (off I
to HluAlomnntade (t)
:(0 to - • Plover (t(
to • - Little Fnmk (t)
to t•. Fiu¢ Arthur (t)
PI to -- Sil..er Star (t)
CITY AND SUBURBAN.
10 to I :bet Brown Tommy (t)

Two THOI'SAND CI'INEAS.
s 5 to 20 apt Plaudit (off, t 5 to I)
11 to 2 -- Julius (off, tGto 1)
10 to 1 - Hermit (off)
14 to 1 Marksman (off)
:a* to IS Vauban (t)
2t) to 1 The Central (off)
20 to 1 Master Butterfly (off)
HERBY.
to I agst D'Estournel (off)
II to I The Rake (t)

1000
1000

to 70
to '3O

Dragon (off, t 1000 to 65)
Vauban (off, t 40 to 1)

WEATHER REPORT.-(THIS DAY.)

SATI'ItDAY, FEBRUAFT 23, 8 L.Y.

B. T.: W.

tru
30.13 44 W.
30:13 47. W.
A,•lrossail 32 43 N.N. W.
I ...ilia:Wk 30.41 44 W.
deutia 30.52 i.O W.
I :Ire (lear 30.30 47 W.
I •erimol
11•0 head :W 46 47 W. N. W.
I .utauce 301:1 40 N.VI
I rest
;.orient 30.35 4I N.\V.
R.K.-hefort
Plymouth
Weymouth
Portsmouth 30.52 46 N.W.
Loudon
Yarmouth
.....arl...rough. 30.3'. 40 W.N.W.
?thi4k 3O 31140 N.W.
11,14, —

R 1 MARKS.

...... .
I.i,ht to mo.lerste westerly and north westerly winds chiefly
1,re,.01 on oar thi, 111411"11111%. Barometrical pressure has
n since yegerday. Temperstnres irenerally have not
ro.u. ristlly ehoneed An area of low Itarometrleal pressure ex.
1,4,1 ye..teolay In the unit of Bothnia, 111111 fresh north-westerly
wiida prevailed on the roasts of Norway.

A meeting of tha Oath/ Inquiry Commissioners
was held on Tuesday, the 19th inst., at 2, Victoria-street,
Westminster, present, Duke of Richmond, Bishop of
Oxford, Lord Lyreden, Right Ron. Russell Gurney, Q.C.,
M.P., Very Rev. the Dean of St. Paul's, and the secretary
of the commission. A meeting was also held yesterday,
the thid inst., present, Duke of Richmond, Bishop of
Oxford, Lord Lys/sten, Sir W. Stirling Maxwell, Burt.,
Right Hon. Russell Gurney, Q.C., M.P., and the secre-
tary of the commission.

The Emperor has authorised the band of the
(.Hides to play at the Itesselievre concerts in the Champs-
Ely,Zes every evening from the 15th April to the Ist May,
and every Sunday evening from 4 tog during the season.
Count de Nienwerkerke, Superintendent-General
of Fine Arts, has written to Cannes to inform M. Merimee
that the Emperor has been graciously pleased to charge
Mr. Munro to execute a marble bud of M. Cousin for the
French Academy. Mr. Munro is a Scotch sculptor who
bad commenced at Cannes the likeness of the late acade-
mician, and at the request of 11. Merimee took a cast of
31. Cumin's face after death.

THY. QUEEN'S LITERARY LABOTIRA. -A rumour
has gone abroad that the queen is employing some of her
lei-ure hours in writing a book, which is shortly to be pub-
lished. This is an age of royal authorship ; and we think
it probable that her Majesty is engaged, with the assist-
ante of Mr. Helps, in writing a memoir of the Prince Con-
sort.—Afhenaretsa.

Tae Grx CUB.—At a meeting of the commit-
tee of this club held on Friday last it was decided to
commence the season on Friday, March 1, at the ground,
Wood-lane, Shephenrwbush, at one o'clock. There will
be the regular private shooting every Tuesday at one
o'clock, and taking into consideration the increase in the
Jauntier of members, the committee have resolved to have
a shooting meeting every Saturday at one o'clock.
Itrrgausm.—A memorial on ritualism from
the Brighton Church Association was presented to his
Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace,
un Friday, Feb. '22, Bleti containing 3,110 signatures,
including 35 clergy, the bo'rough members, and 13 magis-
trates; to which his grace gave the following reply :
"Gmtlemen, Members of the Committee of the Brighton
Church Association,—l deeply lament, in common with
yourselves, the confusion and strife that have ensued
upon the introduction into the order and worship of our
church of various novelties in dress and ritual, sym-
bolical of enoneous doctrines. I have just reason to ap-
prehend that these practices will alienate from our com-
munion many devout worshippers ; and I desire to assure
you that my influence and authority will be exerted to
the utmost to check the progress of this peat evil—C. T.
CANTI'.III, Lambeth Palace, Feb. 22, 1067."
We understand that the candidates at the Army
Medical Examination on Monday were ten below the num-
ber required, and a few have been plucked, making a fur-
ther slight deficiency. Forty-five vacancies were an-
nounced, and only thirty•five candidates presented them-
hehLq. The competitive character of the examination is
of c.urse altogether destroyed by the present unpopularity
of the service, which the authorities are doing their best
to itiere.e.—Britisk 31,,1ical Journal.

A FATAL ifil."EL.lAn woo was lately given
of the death in a duel of Prince Bernard de Solna, his
""goT.i't being Count de We.lell. This latter is not
unknown in France owing to the incidents connected with
tin famous ballooning expedition of the " Giant," which,
to! may is• remembered, made its descent in Hanover. M.
iu relating his serial excursion and all that followed
could not find sufficient expressions of gratitude for the
count, who lavished the most courteous attentions on the
semn.mt. After the battle of Langensalsa, in which the
H..noverian troops covered themselves with glory, the
Prince of Solms and his brother bad to answer before •
en,,rt martial for their conduct during the action. They
both acquitted, but the issue of the trial, it is
attliiied, find not effaced from the minds of certain officers
of the Hanoverian army the unfavourable impression of
the neat moment. The duel is attributed to an expression
of that feeling, which was resented by the other party.—
Gal •.9nu tii.