The Express.
London, England, 1856-02-29 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29.

REVIEWING railway affairs generally, from the
first disclosures relative to the management of the
Eastern Counties Company, we may tairly congra-
tulate this important interest upon the results already
achieved. In nearly every quarter benefit has arisen
from the agitation for reform. Upon a former occa-
sion we drew attention to the promise of amendment
volunteered by the executive of the Brighton R►ilway
Company, as represented by Mr. Lao SCHUSTER, the
chairman at the meeting of the 29th of January.
The satisfactory professions made on that occasion
have formed the text for the speeches of directors at
the meetings of several other leading companies. Mere
words, it is true, will not do much towards the estab-
lishment of a wonder and purer system. Still, re-
formers are inclined to hope, for they perceive that the
general railway proprietary body has at length be-
come earnestly impressed with a sense of the evils
now existing. That most of these evils are sus-
ceptible of remedy is also admitted, even by the
officials through whose laxity they have been fostered
to so serious a growth. In this practical country the
perception of abuses is 'lmam invariably accompanied
by attempts to remedy them. The belief is thus
eetronrsged that the seed now sown will ere long
result in numerous and radical improvements. But,
to realise permanent advantage, it is essential that the
vigilance of shareholders should be unremitting. Di-
reeton are sadly prone to relapse into their ancient
irregularities as soon u their constituents relapse into
apathy.

One of the most signal advantages accruing from
this railway reform movement is the promptitude
with which a check has been given to the insane com-
petition between the Great Northern Company, on
the one hand, and the London and North Western,
with other associated companies, on the other.
Coder the old regime there was scarcely any limit to
puguacions (cabarets of this kind. Directors fought,
railway lawyers feasted, and proprietors were
content to sit quietly by and pay the bill. But
the progress of reform and the gradual recognition by
shareholders et their true interests, have now imposed
a cheek upon rivalries of this ruinous character.
Personal animosities, or other more secret motives,
may incite directors to such glaring absurdities
as the conveyance of passengers a hundred and ten
miles fora shilling, with the view of spiting a rival
line ; but they dare not prolong such a mad sys-
tem. The greatest marvel of all is the sin-
gular facility with which a portion of the proprie-
tary permit themselves to be deluded into participa-
tion in the bellicose propensities of their managers.
I Whilst the majority of the shareholders look on with
decided but silent disepprobation, there is always a
noisy minority, ready to applaud hostilities with neigh-
bearing companies. It is upon the weakness of these
thriftless proprietors, and upon other interested sup-
port, that railway administrators base their calcula-
tions when engaging in unwarranted contests. We
were surprised to observe that some of the Great
Northern proprietors at the meeting cu Saturday last
seemed actually inclined to encourage their chairman
in his warlike policy. It wosid be a far wiser course
to discourage all such tendencies. The principle
of self-preservation affords the sole excuse for these
struggle., and directcne ought to be required to show
a case of absolute necessity. Moreover, the simple
plan of a reference to arbitration would at all times
suffice to ensure equity and pavan general lose.
Of all the great companies, the Great Wee-
tern seems as yet least affected by the reform
movement. The executive of this Company has
always been intrenehed behind triple bulwarks, the
impregnability of which is regarded with a species
of envy by other Boards. Much of this of secu-
rity is due to the strong conservative character (so to
speak) of the proprietary. An annually large pro-
portion of the stock of this undertaking is
held by pereons of wealth, who, though deeply dim-
satisfied with the progressive decay which their pro-
perty has sustained of late years, have declined to
enter into the trouble and anxieties of a contest with
the compact phalanx of directors, secretary, lawyers,
and other powerful officials. The recent withdrawal
hoes the Board of two of its most efficient members,
who pabliely express their dissatisfaction with the
existing management, afforded an opportunity from
which many persons anticipated most salutary results.
That the Groat Western administration remains prao-
dolly unreformed, is chiefly attributable to the high
eharanter of Mr. Wslzom, the chairman. Paradoxical
as this assertion may appear, it is not the leas true.
Had not a man of known integrity presided, a cone-
mitts, of investigation would probably have been
in-
stalled, resulting in scaleup of governmeet It is to
be hoped that Mr. Watrout will recognise the heavy
respoolibility which this implicit confidence of the
proprietors imposes upon him, and that he will be
doubly diligent is serutinisiag the varied details eon-
netted with the antral of this leviathan concern. In
many quarters It is feared that owing to the firm root
which the disease has takes no measure ins severe
than the appointment of a committee of inquiry
will be of much avail. The Secretary-Dictator,
Mr. BAUNDIIIII, and the Board, have now another
half-year's indulgence extended to them. Time will
show whether they employ the interval profitably.
In another quarter, however, the supporters of the
fatal system which has brought such discredit upon
railway property are menaced with defeat. The
position of Mr. WADDINGTON, the Chairman of the
&atom Counties Railway Company, is again en-
dangered. By skilful tactics, Mr. WADDINGTON con-
trived to checkmate the Committee of Investigation,
who fell into the error of imagining that in bringing
to light a great mess of administrative abuses, they
bad done enough to ensure an entire cheap of the
Company's Executive. Bet the Chairman's recent
triumph has not permanently discouraged the Re-
form
party. A number of the most influential and
independent shareholders have been engaged sines
the last special meeting of the Company, in organis-
ing a determined opposition to him. Following the
example set by Mr. WADDINGTON himself, an active
canvass leas been carried on, and an extremely large
I amount of support secured. The Chairman and his
adherents, on the other band, have shown equal
activity, and derived great assistance from a com-
mittee of his friends. Still, although the efforts of this
Committee have been materially aided by the actual
tenure of office, the Chairman's situation has be-
oome highly insecure. Numerous proprietors, who
have never hitherto interfered personally in the Com-
pany's affsirs, hays been Induced by the late expo-
/ern to enrol themselves with the opposition.
Availing himself without scruple of every weapon
within his reach, Mr. WADDINGToN, mindful of the

hostility evinced by the majority of the shareholders
present at the recent meetings, has just given notice
that the system hitherto adopted of allowing proprie-
tors free passes to attend is henceforward dia-
-1 continued. This innovation is of course aimed
exclusively at his opponents, for little doubt
lean be entertained that he will contrive to
prodooe at the poll every reliable voter on his
own list. Another announcement put for ward

by him is equally characteristic. He now descends
so,far as to request a trial for only one year more,
promising to resign if his conduct be not ap-
proved of at the end of the twelve month..
1 his offer, primii facie, may appear reason-
able, but it is in reality extremely disioge-
' num,. We feel called upon to supply an omission
of Mr. WADDINGTON'S, by informing the shareholders
that, if they reelect him at the meeting this day,
they place him securely in office for fuer years. His
opponents are parading their strength, and appear
confident of victory : most persons will agree in
thinking that Mr. WADDINGTON'S present modera-
tion of tone is equally significant.
The interest felt in this contest throughout the
country does not rest upon merely personal grounds.
Mr. WADDINGTON is recognised as the most pro-
minent representative of a system which has brought
ruin upon thousands, which has irretrievably sacrificed
millions of money, and which has lowered the standard
of commercial morality. We have never dirguised our
conviction that a man against whom such a number of
gross irregularities have been proved is utterly unfit
for the responsible situation of a railway manager. If
Mr. WADDINOTON fall, he will have met with his
deserts, and the warning will be as useful as it is
necessary to other men occupying posts of similar
eminence. Rightly considered, this question is one
of even national importance, and we therefore trust
that the shareliolders attending to.day's meeting will
endeavour calmly and dispassionately to do their
duty by electing a Board beyond all suspicion.

WHO is It that can inform us what delinquency Sir
BENJAMIN HALL has been guilty of that he should
have thought it necessary to afflict himself with six
mouths' unpopularity ? Since the month of August,
1855, until the end of February, 1856, that excellent
baronet has bune with the utmost meekness every
species of abuse for having lent himself to a cruel
scheme for destroying the St. James's Gardens,l
in order to facilitate the communication between
Bt. James's and Pimlico, without admitting a
thoroughfare in front of Backiegham Palace. All
the Londouers desired wee that one word should be
uttered to one policeman—that public vehicles
should have the same privileges as private
vehicles. Some impertinently inquisitive persons
asserted that the Court had stedtastly set their face
against extending the entree ; and it was coarrely
hinted that Sir Bertram: HALL was even willing to
oblige the Court by destroying the most beautiful
warders in London, in the hope of securing •
seat in the House of Lords. There is not, we
are now assured, and there never has been, the
slightest foundation for any such assertion. There
is not, and there
culty about admitting the public in front of the
Palace. Sit BENJAMIN is a popular man, mad popu-
larity is ephemeral to a proverb. Why, then, should
he have played the martyr gratis for months?
It seems so totally unnecessary. As the public
I desire for extended accommodation might have
been gratified by a word to a policeman, so the
cloud of unpopularity might have been dissipated
by the shortest possible note addressed to Sir
Jonx SHELLEY, or to any other metropolitan friend
who is in the habit of receiving familiar notes from
public men, in order that they may be printed in the
morning papers. Surely Sir BENJAMIN must have
committed some grave political delinquency, or he
would never have inflicted upon himself so severe •
salt-castigation. Perhaps the self-scrutinisiog baronet
desired to see how he could bear the loss of popu-
larity. But we must really take the liberty to sug-
gest to oar metropolitan member that, when next he
undertakes a six mouths' penance for the purpose of
abating his political pride or his overweening vanity,
he will so manage the matter as not to implicate the
most exalted name in the realm.
Now that the committee is nominated it would be
vain to make farther objections to the nomination of
any committee at all. To the names mentioned there
is so objection. But whatever plan may be adopted
oat thing is clear—that the St. James's Gardens must
remain inviolate. No such thing as a bridge or • road
hiseetiog these gardens must be dreamed of. They are
small enough already, and to cot them in half would
be simply monstrous. To plead in behalf of these
beautiful gardens has something burlesque about it.
Some things are beyond argument. You place a mac
before • picture or set him to gaze at a tine prospect,
sod if he fails to admire, you know it is vain to noon
with him. So Tuartha felt when he directed his grand
pictures of the Rise and Fall of Carthage to be hung
op between two of CLAUDE'S masterpieces. Tuastaa
knew that the spectator who saw without recognising
his superiority to the great Frenchman would
acknowledge that superiority by argument. It is the
same with these St. James's Gardens. Is there use
sae, who ever trod these walks, so callous ss not to
have felt within him some glow of kindly sympathy as
he slowly jostled his way, on some summer afternoon,
through that endless swarm of toilworn men and toil-
worn women—their children in their arms—whilst all
the garden rang with the riotous glee of children at
their pastime ? Why should their place of recreation
be curtailed by a single inch ? Little do those men
who can leave at pleasure this desert of stone and
mortar to taste the pare air and to feast the eye on
the green fields *milder how different is the fate of
the genuine attiren. To him the gardens of the Tem-
ple and the gardens of Bt. James's and Kensington
are hie country seats—his Richmond Park and Hamp-
ton Court.

The sense of sight and the sense of smell are of all
human blessings the most precious. To lose any one
of them is a cruel visitation. Bet surely it is scarcely
less cruel to leave human beings in possession of these
blessings and yet to deny them the means of gratifi-
cation. Take from this overgrown Babylon the
Parke, and the thing is accomplished. If human
nature is too weak to sustain the burden of solitude
beyond a certain period, how would it endure a world
of blank walls and paved streets—a city dungeon ?
How often have we watched with a sad pleasure the
crowds of women and children slowly issuing from
the thousand dingy alleys and close garrets between
Fleet•street and the Thames, streaming on toward the
Temple, until a vast crowd stood pressing round that
garden gate, through which, at the flied hour, they
rushed in frantic glee to enjoy one hoar of noisy pas-
time! How often have we lamented that the pen of
the gentle ELIA did not immortalise a scene so
touching ! No, make what roads you please, but let
the Gorden of St. James's be sacred.

TM Milan Gazette announces that Plincese Bel-
aisles* has Monett to Lombardy, aad taken up bar rig:.
Ikea at her villa of Locate.

A letter from Perigees=, of the 24th, says :
The Tad from Paris did tot drive byre rid, c..idy eetll
dimly Ores hours efser Its time, in COW qdtatto cf the greet
quietity of sr ow which his fellje en the railway be teems
ris sod Aosoeleme."

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
TaN DAY.

--.-

EQUITY COURTS.

fifoss TIM toss• ifsnca e•
ABTA CRAMP,. KZ I , AM ALL!OID