The Express.
London, England, 1868-02-04 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN RAILWAY

The following official circular to the shareholders
of the Metropolitan Railway Company was issued last even-
ing, in reference to the decision by Vice-Chancellor
Wood on Friday :
" The shareholders will have learnt from the public
prints that Vice-Chancellor Wood has, contrary to the
expectations of the directors, entertained to some extent
the application of Mr. Bloxam. It is discouraging, but
the disadvantage to the company in any view and event is
comparatively small, and it is to be hoped will be but of
short duration. The effect of the judgment is to direct
that the earnings of the line from Paddington to Nougat.-
street for the put half-hear shall provide not only for the
charges of the management of that railway and the interest
of the money borrowed and expended thereon, but also for
the charges incurred for the management of and for the
payment of the interest on the money borrowed for anti
expended on the railways in the course of °oestrus-Bon
which are now unfinished, and, therefore, wholly un-
remunerative. The directors had considered, and
in that view they had been supported by the
shareholders at several general meetings of the company,
that it was reasonable and right that the new railways
should bear in those respects their own charges. Certain
it is that if those railways bad been promoted, as they
well might have bees, by other parties, those charges
mast have been paid out of the moneys raised for their
construction. The mere accident of a new line being
tacked on to a railway in work ought not, us it seems to
the directors, to afford any ground fur altering that condi-
tion, or for saddling the revenue of the existing line with
charges caused solely by and due to the new lines. This is
consistent with the opinion and practice of those most
conversant with matters of this description, and has
hardly yet been so considered and prominently brought
forward as to lead to the conclusion that the Vice-
Chancellor's opinion may not be successfully impugned.
Under these circumstances, and the advice of counsel, the
directors propose to seek the judgment on these points of
another tribunaL Whilst, however, the order of the Vice-
Chancellor is in force, it will be the duty of the company
to submit thereto, and to make the reserve from the
traffic receipts meet all the expenses of management, and
the interest on the whole amount of borrowed money, as
well for the existing lines as for the extensions. After
making this proviion there will yet remain a clear avail.
able Delano., which will admit of a dividend at the rate of
bi per cent. on the ceseelidated stock. The directors will
consequently propose that an interim dividend at that rate
be declared and paid on that stock, leaving in abeyance the
remainder of the net profits es certified by the auditors to
await the result of the appeal.—By order,
" JOHN HENCHMAN, Secretary.
" Company's Offices, 3, Old Pekoe-yard, Feb. 3".

MYNTRRIOITS CARR Or DROWNING • BOY AT
Bartrot.„—Yesterday the acting coroner for Bristol, Mr.
Henry 8. Wasbrough, resumed an inquiry touching the
death of • little boy Thomas lilselcmore, whose body was
found in the River Froome, Bristol, on Tuesday, the 28th
ult., and whose father, Wm. Blackmer., a mason's
labourer, is in custody on suspicion of ha • clamed his
death. The evidence, which occupied several ls
to the present point entirely circurastentiaL It is
that he had been in the habit of behaving with some
new towards the boy, and according to the evidence of a
sister of his he had often said he should like to give him
• ride down the river, and that he had been heard con-
versing with • man about Wong the boy to Bath or some-
where and leaving him. On the 27th the boy (who was
somewhat mischievously inclined) pulled some lead off
the window of the tavern at which the father lodged,
and the father was spoken to by the servant
about it. Ha was angry with the child, and on giving him
some bread and bacon, mid it was the last he should ever
eat in his home. Some time afterwards ha said he would
take the child to the union (where he had been before),
and they left the house together, and in the evening the
father returned alone. On being asked if he had put the
boy lrienaas he had threatened, he said " Ho," that they
to receive him unless he went in himself. He
further stated that he went to see a sister of his, and told
the boy Matey outside for him, and that when he came
out to for him he was goes. He also made other
statements about having *sired for the child at the
police stations. It has bem sereertained that he did satin
tithe union, sad indeed he is shown to have admitted as
much to • and the evidence bares him on to •
piece of evesimeging the river sear to where the
lardy was found, wkiek grearad was private property, and
molosed with panes,. -It is farther believed that had a
Meld fallen in at the spot iadisated, he would have caught
Mille bank, whereas there are no trams of dirt wader his
mins, and More are indications of the body been
thrown est into the strewn whisk wee NO at the
time. Berend this, it is shown dist statements
enuatttia, moreover, Ijospkicsas that he
to is. the bear sash Aior it was found,
sod be this skitel liPt two boys bad that his
son whiled pitying mi well near the pump fell into
the water. - The larch', which enestes the greatest
intend, eras etandandielerned.