The Express.
London, England, 1850-05-15 00:00:00

[THREEPENCE.

CALEDONIAN RAILWAY.
Yesterday a special meeting of the shareholders of this
company was held at the London Tsvern, to votive the re.
port of the cassettes of holders of 101.
The
Stock,
appointed on the 7th G
oof
May, 1860. The Ron. Captain
Pcnnirr, RM., took the chafr, when the following report
was laid Wire the meeting, but having been some time in
the hands of the shareholders, it was considered as read :
The report was as follows:
" The committee appointed on the 7th inst., on behalf cf
the holders of Preference Stock (10L shares) of the Caledo-
nian Railway Company, have to report that immediately
upon their appolatinent, they put themselves in nommen'.
eac.alotinoinwfo,iritohthrththe emodediimrefgefioarstionooffiaseethreeposerCuialneddingonTiantroyCrElytnntodthwceine;
found that in addition to the usual miscast of ordinary
mortgage and debenture debt (equal to one third of the
satin share capital of the company), the security of which
in the minds of lendm has been seriously disturbed by
resent events, the company is at this time °permed by a
floating debt, exceeding in the aggregate 800,0001. The
company is at present not only without any metes, in the
form of existing or authorised capitol, of discharging the
floating debt, but the portion of its ordinary weekly revenue
not specially devoted to payment of interest on debenture is
exhausted in warding off claims for land and other de-
mands of urgency, almost before it is received.
The committee find, lastly, that the represertations
of the directors as to the onerous nature of the manna rents
chargeable on the company in the form of guarantees or
otherwise, whether as regards their salad aummat sr with
reference to the real value of Ham so guaranteed, are in no
way exaggerated. The fact also pressed upon the considers-
lion of the committee, that the Caledonian Railway 'till
requires • considerable outlay, and that this outlay must be
made before the proprietors can reasonably look for any con-
siderable increase in its traffic. Secondly. It became obvious
that an immediate remedy for this deplorable state of things
was demanded, and it was equally clear this was only to be
attained be bringing the liabilities and expenditure within
the proba6le means of the company. And thirdly, the
committee have had to consider the carious motives prompt-
ing to acquiescence in such modification • the main one
obviously tie ing • security for the punctual payment of
future nividends and the consequent confidence of the public
in the Preferential Stock as an investment. The arrange-
meat, then, which the committee have unanimously deter-
mined to recommend for the adoption of this meeting ie, that
the dividend on the Preferential Shares be reduced to 44 per
cent. in perpetuity, contingent on the n.akiag of satisfactory
adjustments with the other guaranteed lists. Two out of
ten, or in that proportion, of the directors of the board to be
elected by the Preferetce holders. The same arrangements
as to arrears of dividends to he made in regard to the Pre-
ference Shares as to the other guarantees."
The CHAIRMAN said the document now emanating from
the committee was alike important to all concern, d. He
though. it must now be satisfactory to all those who were
interested in the guaranteed stock, to fled that the arrange
meat which be and others proposed from the beginning
was • matter of absolute necessity. The chairmen con-
cluded by thanking the preferential shareholders for the
liberal spirit they had displayed in appointing this commit-
I tee, whose report was now before them for their adoption.
Mr. THORNTON moved that the committee, report be re-
ceived and adopted, and that the sam• be sent to every share-
' holder. The committee were large holden of preference
I shares, and therefore in this their recommendation he could
say conscientiously that they advised the same course as if
they were dealing with their own individual property.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Moron seconded the motion.
' A discussion took place, and an amendment was proposed
for increasing the dividend by a sliding scale, but it was
eventually withdrawn for the sake of unanimity.
Mr. BAILIa laid the sum recess ay to be raised would be
800,0001., to say nothing of the claims of the Clydesdale
Junction Railway Company, and in this attempt they must
show something like • balance-sheet, and at all events una-
nimity, _ _ _

Mr. Deputy Cornet', Mr. Williams, Mr. Moon, Mr. Keine,
and others, made some observations, when the report of the
committee was agreed to unanimously.
Mr. BARN SAD proposed a vote 01 thanks to the committee,
and that they be requested to continue in office till the pro-
posed erranitement be sanctioned by parliament.
Mr. PENHALL seesnded the motion, which was pissed
unanimously, and the meeting adjourned.

A DRPVIATION, consisting of Sir T. O'Brien, But.,
M.P., Mr. Keogh, M.P., Mr. Scully, M.P., Mr. 0. Gore,
M.P., Mr. Leeman, of York (chairman of the York, New-
castle, and Berwick, and Liverpool, Manchester, and New-
castle Companies), Mr. Courtsnay, of Leeds (director of the
Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle Railway), Mr. Pula-
lord, Mr. Parry Richards. and Mr. Nash, had an interview
with the Solicitor-General yestarday r.garding the Railways
Bill.

ANNIVERSARY OF HER MAJESTY'S BIRTHDAY,-
This, bring the day appointed to celebrate the 31st miniver-
stay of her Majesty's birthday, has been kept as a holiday
at the Stamp dike. Euler, Customhouse, and other go-
vernment departments, with the exception of the Poet-office.
At the St. Katharine's, London. and other dock', it is also
to be observed. As usual on this occasion, there w e an
etion of a battalion of each o' the regimen's of Foot
Guards, and a troop of the Royal Horse Guards ( blue) on
the Parade in St James's park, at which his Grace Field-
Marshal the Duke of Wellington, as Colonel of the Gre-
nadier Guards ; his Royal Highness Field-Marshal
the Duke of Cambridge, of the Coldstream Guards; and
his Royal Highness Field-Marshal Prince Albert, colonel of
Scots Fusiliers ; the Marquises of Angletea and London-
derry, the Earl of Cardigan, and Lord Fitzroy Somerset,
attended by a numerous and brilliant staff, were present.
The boys of the military mewl, Chelsea, occupied the space
in front of the Tilt-guard. After the parade, the cur 'lied
pensioners of the London district were reviewed in Hyde-
park by these illustrious t.fficers. At King's College, London
University, Christ Church. and other public institutions. the
pupils have • holiday; also at the Riiyal Military College,
Woclwich, and Sandhunt, Addiscombe, &c.

GREAT CENTRAL GAS CONSUMERS' BlLL—Yes-
terday Mr. Cronll, the engineer, concluded his evidence,
which occupied more than 050 day, and the committee then
adjourned to the 27th inst.
HEALTII OP LONDON DURING THE WEEK.—
[From the Riistrat-Ciencral's Report ]—The deaths re-
gistered in the metropolitan iu the week ending
last Saturday, were 857. Taking 10 corresponding weeks of
the year. 1840-9, it appears that the number now returned is
lees than in the years 1847 9; and that it is also less than in
1843, but greater than in the same week of the other six
years. The average of the 10 weeks is 870, or corrected for
increase of population 949; as compared with the corrected
average, the mortality of last week shows a decrease of 92
death,. The total deaths from the :pantie, or epidemic
class of disown, continue to he less numerous than usual,
amounting only to 146, while the corrected average
is 179 ; from small-pox there were 4. from measles
14, from Looping-cough 36, and typhus 26, the
mortality from sch of these epidemics it g lea than the
average. From diarrtass there were 8, which is about the
average ; this disease exhibits a decline on former weeks.
But scarlatina shows an increase, the numbers in the last
three returns having been 21, 17, and 2.5, whilst the average
for last week is 24. Five children under five years of age
died of infantile or remittent fever, four persons of influenza,
and 7of erysipelas. A woman of 54 years died of scurvy.
Diseases of the respiratory organs, exclusive of hooping-
cough and consumption, were fatal to 137 persons, which is
about the corrected average ; from laryngitis there were 4
deaths, from bronchitis 51, from pneumonia 56• from pleu-
risy 5, and from asthma 13. The mortality from consump
Lion continues unusually low ; this disease carried ff 116
persons, whilst rho corrected average is 145 ; and in the
corresponding weeks of 1840 9 it ranged from 117 to
148. A heenhop-keeper, aged 46 years, died of " !mutate-
mesis (68 hours)." He is reported to have been
an habitual drunkard. The classification of deaths in public
institutions shows that 77 persons were registered as having
died in workhouses, 37 in hospitals, b in military and navel
establishments, and 6in lunatic asylums. The births during
the week numbered 1,320. The mean temperature was Ir es
by 64 deg. than the average of the same week in seven
years. On every day it was Ina than the average, hut espe-
cially on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thunder,
when the decrease was from 7to 9 degrees. The wind wss
generally in the north-east and mouth west.