The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-02 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 2, 1867.

final quartet and chorus, " What loud uproar,"
heralded by a fanfare for the brass instruments,
expresses the burst of festive revelry of the wedding
guests, changing to some flowing cantabile phrases
for female voices, recurring to the festive movement,
and then subsiding into the tranquil and graceful
theme of the opening chorus, closing with the
beautiful verse of the poem commencing " He
prayeth best," in phrases of a religious character
combining chorus and solo voices, with reiterated
chords for the orchestra, wrought up to an effective
climax which produced a burst of long-continued
applause that certified to the unequivocal success of
Mr. Barnett's new work, which was conducted by
himself. Of this cantata, as of Professor Sterndale
Bennett's Woman of Samaria (produced on Wed-
nesday morning, and already noticed by us) we
shall doubtless, before long, have something further
to say on their repetition in London—an event of
which there can be little doubt.

The closing performance on Friday evening—the
oratorio of St. Paul—formed a worthy climax to
the Birmingham music meeting; the festival ap-
propriately terminating, as it had commenced, with
a work by a composer whose name, as we have
before observed, will always be associated with
these occasions. As the festival began with Men-
delssohn's Elijah, originally produced at Birming-
ham in 1846, it closed with his earlier oratorio
given at Birmingham in 1837 ; both occasions
having been conducted by the great composer,
whose premature death occurred a year after the
former date. Notwithstanding the fatigue of the
executants from their incessant exertions during
the previous days, the performance of St. Paul on
Friday evening was in every respect a very fine
one.

In spite of the restrictions as to applause at
oratorio performances, a strong demonstration took
place in recognition of Mr. Costa's valuable efforts
as director and conductor of the festival—some
ebullition of a like kind having previously burst
forth in admiration of Mr. Reeves' singing of
" Be thou faithful."

The returns for the closing performance on Fri-
day evening were as follow:-1,150/. 155., making,
with the amount already recorded for Friday
morning, a total of 3,2261. Os. Bd. for that day.

*purttng Intelligente.
--..._
THE WEEK BEFORE THE BELLINGER.

KENT COAST RAILWAY.

The 20th half-yearly meeting was held on Satur-
day, at the Offices of the Company 2, Great Winchester-
street-buildings ; Mr. Mauves', Mi'., in the chair.

Mr. JOHNSON, the secretary, having read the 'iota* call-
ing the meeting, the report was taken as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving its adoption, said he much
reirretted that be came before them, with the company
neither able to pay a dividend, nor the interest on the de-
bentures. Pending the appeal which had now been made
against the course taken by the London, Chatham, and
Dover Company, it would be impolitic for him to express
himself fully on the subject ; but if the agreement which
had been made with that company was not binding, no
railway agreement could be held as secure. The terms
were as fair and equitable as anything could be. The
Chatham Company was to get 50 per cent. of the profits up
to 00,000/., and 75 per cent. of all in excess of that sum.
The proceedings taken by the debenture holders was most
imp_olitio.
Mr. Itictom seconded the motion.

Captain MOTHAN traced the progress of the litigation be-
tween the company and the London, Chatham, and Dover,
andexpressedhiscoaviction that the presentdifficultiesof the
company arose from the careless mannerin which the agree-
ment had been drawn up. Ho suggested caution on the part
of the directory in going on with litigation upon the agreement
itself, and pointed out that if satisfactory arrangements
could not be made for the working of the line with the
London, Chatham. and Dover, it would be quite practicable
to enter into arrangements with the South Eastern. The
company had the command of 100,0001. of traffic, and was
therefore a valuable concern to either of the companies.
Up to the present time there had been no opportunity of
coming to any compromise with the London, Chatham,
and Dover, but he trusted that ultimately some arrange-
ment of a satisfactory character would be made.
In answer to • question put by • proprietor,
Mr. MAYNARD, the solicitor of the company, said that
for the period between October and June the amount paid
into court by the London, Chatham, and Dover Company
as the proportion of the Kent Coast earnings, was between
17,000(. and 18,0001. That was not the amount to which
the Kent Coast thought they were entitled, but their claim
to that extent at least was virtually established. Under
the arrangements which now existed the Dover Company
would have to pay into court from time to time whatever
amount may become due under the award of Capt. O'Brien
as soon as it was made. He objected to any attempt
on the part of bondholders to repudiate the agreements of
directors. Having looked very carefully into all the
matters connected with the agreement, he was prepared
to contend that it was really a very desirable one for the
Chatham and Dover Company to enter into. At the
time it was made the onl&crailway communica-
tion between London and A te and Ramsgate
was in the halide of the Sou Eastern Company.
But by inducing persons to come forward and provide
means for making the Kent Coast line, they gave to the
Dover Company not only • competitive route to Margate
and Ramsgate, but • route so much shorter than that by
the South Eastern, in point of fact it threw into the hands
of the Dover Company the through traffic between Lon-
don and those places. Having obtained possession of
that traffic, the Dover Company was enabled to treat on
very much better terms with the South Eastern for a share
of the continental traffic, and the result was that they did
actually obtain an agreement by which, if they had not
already one-half, they shortly would have one-half of the
whole continental traffic. (Hear, hear.) Objection bad
been taken to the agreement on the ground that the Kent
Coast claimed under its provision one-fifth of the through
traffic of the Chatham and Dover. But the fact was that
while the whole of the through traffic of the Dover was
500,001. a year, more than 100,000 L or one-fifth was due
entirely to the Margate and Ramsgate traffic. (Hear.)
The claim to the fifth of the receipts of the traffic was,
therefore, a perfectly fair and legitimate one, and the
agreement to pay that proportion was not an improvident
one on the part of the Dover Company. A suggestion had
been made about compromise in the matter, and that some
agreement might be made between the Kent Coast and
the South Eastern. That was • matter upon which the
least that was said the better, until the question with the
Chatham and Dover Company was settled. He held to
the agreement, and repudiated altogether the idea that
supposing the agreement to be held to be valid the Dover
Company should be permitted to evade the effects of it by
seeking to turn the Margate and Ramagate nape into the
South Eastern line. The agreement ought tolie observed
and carried out in its integrity, and he should be greatly
surprised if the Chatham and Dover Company could get out
of the obligations which it involved.
After further discussion, the report was unanimously
adopted.
Mr. KILEY then moved • resolution to the effect that it
was not desirable that the Kent Coast should make any
compromise or arrangement with any other company ex-
cept upon terms to be previously submitted to • general
meeting of the shareholders, but, after explanations, the
resolution was withdrawn, and • cordial vote of thanks to
the chairman and directors brought the proceedings to a
close.

METROPOLITAN RAILWAY.