The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-19 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

Commander—Sherard Osborn (1852), late commander
of the Pioneer, screw, in the Arctic expedition, to the
Vesuvius, 6, steam sloop, in the Mediterranean, vice
Kynaston, promoted.
Surgeon—John Gunn, promoted from assistant sur-
geon of the Imperieuse, to the Plicenix, 8, at Woolwich.

Clerk—James M. Hillyar, to the Agamemnon, 91,
screw, in the Mediterranean.

Navel Cadets—W. H. Hornley, to the Cossack, 21,
screw corvette ; E. L. Trafford, to the Eurydice, 26, on
the North American and West India station ; E. 11. H.
Stephen, to the Royal Albert, 121, flag, in the Black
Sea ; C. E. Foot, to the Monarch, 84, in the Pacific ;
H. T. Stephenson, to the Tartar, 21, screw corvette, at
Chatham ; Hon. A. C. L. Cadogan, to the Cornwallis;
60, screw, at Devonport..

THE MILITIA.
The Royal London Militia, Colonel Wilson, will
muster in the Artillery-ground, Finsbury, to-morrow
morning, to be embodied for permanent duty ; 400 fresh
volunteers are being enrolled to increase the strength of
the regiment to 1,000 men.
The '3(.1 West York Regiment of Militia, now quar-
tered at Richmond Barracks, Dublin, are preparing for
their departure to the Mediterranean.
The following are the names of the officers and the
effective numbers of the service companies of the Ist
(King's Own) Staffordshire Militia, now under orders
for the Mediterranean :—Colonel the Hon. W. P.
Talbot ; Major Charles Inge ; Captains—Francis Cham-
bers, the Hon. Charles Wrottesley, Sidney Leveson
Lane, Nelson Ryecroft, Cecil Newton Lane, and Charles
Rycroft • Lieutenants—A.sken James Hillceat, Gilbert
Elliot, Edward Cockburn Allen, Pryce Ilbert Harrison,
Dudley Edward Saurin, aid Henry Alexander Graham;,
Ensigns—Joseph Pitman, George William Henry Holy-
oake, Harvey Talbot, and John Shaw ; Paymaster, Cap-
tain Richard Mills ; Adjutant, Captain Daniel Hill-
man ; Surgeon, George Richard Woolbouse ; and As-
sistant-Surgeon John Ley Hitclten. The numbers of
non-commissioned officers and privates are-28 ser-
geants, 27 corporals, 9 drummers, and 538 privates,
making a total of all ranks below commissions of 602.
The following Irish members of Parliament are at
present serving with their' several regiments of militia :
---Colonel Greville, Westmeath Infantry ; Col. Dunne,
Queen's County ; Major P. Urquhart, Westmeath ;
Captain John O'Connell, Dublin ; Capt. D. O'Connell,
Kerry ; Capt. Esmonde, Waterford ; Captain Francis
Scully, Tipperary ; Lord Bective, Cavan ; Colonel Sir
R. Ferguson Londonderry ; Lieutenant-Colonel Caul-
feild, Armagh ; Captain Conolly, Donegal ; Captain
O'Brien, King's County ; Lord Bernard, Cork Artillery.

RAILWAY INTBLLIGENCE.

GREAT LUXEMBOURG.

A meeting of the shareholders of this company was
held on Friday at the Leaden Tavern, preparatory to
the general annual meeting at Brussels, on the 24th inst.
—Mr. W. Reed in the chair.
The meeting was held by adjournment front the 19th
of December last, i❑ order to afford time for the inquiries
of the committee of investigation then appointed.
The Secretary proceeded to read the report of the new
directors, which the chairman ►aid was the only one ema-
nating from the board.- It stated that in compliance with
the recommendation they had made at the last meeting
the accounts up to the end of the year 1854 were new
submitted. The whole receipts fur the year 1854 were
332,0821. 25., and there had been expended in the same
year 307,1471. Bs. 9d. Of that sum, however, only
223,103/. 133. 6d. had been appropriated to the acquisition
of land, the construction of the railway and canal, and
the purchase of rails and chairs, and its rolling stock.
There had also been expended for caution money and
other expenses paid on the Grand Junction line, 20,8341,
19s. sd. ; interest on shares, 35,5471. 6s. 7d. ; and upon
obligations and debentures, 10,6701. As to the first
of these items, the directors expressed their re-
gret that the shareholders of this company were ever
involved in the matter of the Grand Junction Railway,
being of the opinion before expressed by them, that "to
construct and finish the main line was a task
quite sufficient for the time being." They also pro-
tested against the second item of expenditure—viz.,
that for interest upon shares—being continued, the
unexpended funds being barely sufficient to complete
and stock the railway, and they therefore recom-
mended the board to take the necessary steps to dis-
continue the payment in question ; but with respect to
the interest upon the bond debt, or obligations of the
company, they were of opinion that it ought still to be
paid, and hoped that the opening of the line to Namur
might, by furnishing at no distant date the funds for this
purpose, relieve the capital account. As to the actual
financial position of the company at this date, the report
stated that, with very trifling exceptions, the demands
of the contractors, whether for works or rolling stock, to
the end of October last, had all been paid. This was ne-
cessary in order to preserve good faith with the contrac-
tors, and as a means of restoring confidence, as well as
of securing the completion of the works between Brus-
sels and Namur. It had not, however, been effected
without borrowing money to the extent of 15,0001. on
the personal credit of the directors, and under a promise
of repayment from the proceeds of the next call. No
suitable tender has been made as yet for the construction
of the remaining works on the lines.
The CHAIRMAN observed that the question whether
Mr. Block was a director er not involved some legal
difficulty, owing to the peculiarity of the statutes.
After some discussion as to the best method to be
adopted in disposing of Mr. Block's claim,
It was resolved on the motion of Mr. Rown, Q.C.,
seconded Mr. SHYMOUR, "That it is the opinion of this
meeting that Mr. Bluck is not a director of this com-
pany, and that the beard of directors be authorised to
take such measures as may be requisite to give validity
to this expression of opinion."
gi Mr. ATTWOOD, one of the old directore, having an-
nounced his resignation,
The CHAIRMAN proposed the adoption of the report.
A discussion of considerable length again arose as to
the effect which the resignation of the directors would
have, in the course of which
Mr. Rowe pointed out the peculiarity of the statutes
of the company, by which, so long as one of the origi-
nal directors remained on the board, the constituency
had no power of re-election.
A variety of resolutions were proposed to meet the
difficulty, and eventually the following was agreed to on
the motion of Mr. Macdonald, seconded by Mr. Rowe :--
"That the report of the directors be adopted, except so
much as would imply the acceptance of the resignation
of Mears. Close, Hutchinson, Reed, Uzielli, and Drouet,
who are requested by this meeting to remain directors of
the company."
The CHAIRMAN recommended the adoption of the
following resolution :—" That it be recommended to the
meeting at Brussels on the 24th inst. to approve the
accounts now presented, except in so far as they relate
to the Grand Junction line, the consideration of which
should be deferred till the directors have been enabled
to examine the merits of that undertaking in connexion
with the letter of Sir W. Magnay, and that the Board
of Directors be authorised to accept the offer ef Sir W.
Magnay to take the concession off their hand's, or other-
wise, as they would think best, after due inquiry.
The report, with the recommendation it contained,
was unanimously adopted.
The report of the auditors having been read,
Mr. I'm then called attention to the item of 58,000/.
on the loan account, expressing a strong opinion that
that sum could be recovered by instituting a suit in
equity against the old directors.
Mr. MmirEmisr, jun., believed that if the arrange-
ment had not failed which was the occasion ef the loan
in question much advantage would have accrued to them
not only by getting their stock quoted at the Paris
Bourse, but by putting the company in a position to ob-
tain large advances, if necessary. He endeavoured to
justify the part he took in the transaction.
After a lengthened discussion, in which Mr. Rowe,
Mr. Harvey, the chairman, and other hon. proprietors
took part, the resolution proposed by the chairman was
carried unanimously.
Resolutions were then passed to the effect that it was
expedient that the payment of interest on shares should
be discontinued ; that the meeting recorded its utter
disbelief of the statements which had been circulated,
that the funds of the company had been employed in
securing the influence of public men in Belgium, and a
third empowering the directors to deal with the shares
now in their hands, or which might be hereafter for-
feited, to the best of their judgment for the interest of
the company.
The auditors were re-elected, and a sum of 1001. each I
voted to them for their past services, and powers were
given to the directors to use whatever proxies they
might obtain in securing the election at the ensuing
general meeting of suitable colleagues.
A vote of thank. to the chairman concluded the pro-
90edingg,