The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-07 00:00:00

THE EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIA,—In the Report of the Committee of Investigation,
recently published in your columns, allusion, in unjusti-
fiable terms, is made to myself and my firm of Peto,
Brassey, and Betts, in connection with certain business
matters we have had with the Eastern Counties Railway
Company. It is easy also to observe, from a perusal of
the minutes of evidence, that a desire throughout existed
to implicate us so as to give grounds to the committee
for finding fault if practicable. No explanations, evi-
dence, or documents were ever sought from any of us,
and the extensive publication of the committee's Report
is the first that we hear of our being assailed. Our con-
duct of business in the largest transactions for many
years is so well known, and we trust honourably appre-
ciated by all who have had dealings with us, that we
could afford to permit to pass unanswered the attacks of
the committee ; but, to prevent misconstruction on the
part of the public and of the shareholders of the Eastern
Counties Company, I trust you will give the publicity of
your columns to the following observations.
1. It is insinuated by the evidence that I exercise. my
influence with the Eastern Counties board to occupy im-
properly and inconveniently their locomotive establish-
ment with constructing engines and carriages for the
Danish Railways, in which we are interested. This is
simply not true. No engines nor carriages were ever
constructed by the Eastern Counties Company for my-
self or my firm, or for the Danish Railway Company.

_ .
2. The assertion that 20,0001., the agreed purchase
meney for the Southend Pier, remains unpaid by my
firm, is correct ; but by the terms of our purchase agree-
ment it is not payable until 12 months after the railway
to Southend s.iall have been finished, a period not yet
arrived. The amount carries interest, which has been
regularly paid.
3. lam blamed for promoting in 1855 the formation
of the line of the East Suffolk Railway Company from
Halesworth to Woodbridge, which is alleged to be anta-
gonistic to the interests of the amalgamated lines of the
Eastern Counties, Norfolk, and Eastern Union Com-
panies, whose union together I aetively promoted ; but
the fact is suppressed that I am only fulfilling a pledge
given by me for the Norfolk Company to Lord Strad-
broke and others before the East Suffolk Company went
to Parliament for incorporation, and before the union of
the above three companies took place, that this line
should be made. That pledge which is recorded on the
minutes of the Norfolk Company of the 6th of August,
1853, I feel myself honourably bound to perform to the
utmost of my power, arid it has been openly avowed by
me that I had made it and should keep it.
4. In regard to all complaints of the committee con-
nected with the Norfolk and Eastern Counties Coal
Company and Messrs. E. and A. Prior, I have only to
say that I had no other concern with that company or
them than this, that I first, in 1850, induced Messrs.
Prior to establish the coal business at Lowestoft, making
that place the port of importation. I was at that time
chairman of the Norfolk Railway Company, to whom
Lowestoft Harbour belongs. No facilities were afforded
to Messrs. Prior other than to the trade in general, nor
were they in any way placed upon a more advantageous
footing than other parties. Of their connection with the
Eastern Company since the amalgamation with the Nor-
folk and Eastern Union Companies I know nothing, nor
have I been in any way concerned in their arrange-
ments.

5. It is true, as stated in the evidence, that the
Canada works at Birkenhead, in which I am a partner,
are constructing twelve engines for the company. But
it was no private order, nor obtained through any
influence of mine with the board. We took the con-
tract upon public tender as being the lowest.
6. In like manner my firm tendered with other con-
tractors upon public invitation for the Hackney and
other adjoining branches, and ours being the lowest ten-
der was accepted. The works have been duly executed,
and certified by the company's engineer as completed. I
was in no way concerned in originating these branches.
They could only come into existence after being autho-
rised by Parliament, and the Eastern Counties share-
holders must have given sanction to them before the Act
of Parliament could be obtained. It is a mere gratuitous
pleasantry therefore of the committee to say that these
branches were made " not so much to benefit the Eastern
Counties Company, as to increase the traffic and profits
of Messrs. Feb.o Betts, and Brassey."
7. The committee call the attention of the shareholders
to the "injurious effects likely to be produced by leasing
the Tilbury and Southend line to Messrs. Peto, Betts,
and Brassey." I have only to reply that the Eastern
Counties Company having determined, along with the
Blackwell Railway Company, that it was politic to con-
struct that line, we were invited to become lessees of it,
as the foundation upon which alone it could be con-
structed and the capital obtained. We consented, and
terms were negotiated, and a bargain struck, to which we
have faithfully adhered ever since. It was indispensaUe
to us that we should have the power of fixing the rates
into London over the four miles of existing railway be-
longing to the Eastern Counties and Black wall Railways,
or we never should have encountered the risk of construct.
ing 36 miles of new railway without any entrance into
London except over such four miles, and that power was
conceded to us by our lease, and is confirmed by Act of
Parliament previously submitted to the general meeting,
of shareholders. When the line was in course of con-
struction, we, knowieg that we had to well it,
applied to the Eastern Counties and Blackwell Com-
panies, as possessing large locomotive establishments,
to contract to work it for us. The Eastern Counties
Company made to us a tender which we accepted, and
we believe the contract is much more remunerative to
that company than stated by the committee. But even
that is no concern of :ours. We offered the work to
bath companies, and contracted with the Eastern Coun
ties. We neither did nor could influence that company
to show us any favour. The contract was the result of
fair competition.
8. To the allegation in the evidence that Vie Norfolk
line w: s originally imperfectly constructed and with im-
proper materials, I give the most formal and positive
contradiction. The works were all executed under
written cowl acts and elaborate specification', and they
were neither accepted nor paid for until they had Leen
approved by the engineer of the company. As a further
answer to these allegations, and as evidencing the satin-
faction of Mr. Robert Stephenson with the manner in
which I performed my contracts for railways in the
Eastern districts, I extract the following conclusion from
his certificate of f.9th June, 1348, awarding me the sum
of 1,12,2631.:—"1n thus giving my final decision on
these heavy contracts, I feel it my duty to state that
many large and unforeseen contingencies have occurt ed,
and have required the greatest energy on the part of
Peto ; and it affords me satisfaction to add my tes-
timony of the willing, efficient, and unflinching manner
in which they have been met."

Regretting that these remarks should occupy so much
of your valuable space, I am, &c., _ _

S. MORTON PETO.
9, Great George-street, Dec. 6, 1855.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.—(This Day.)

LONDON, Dee. 7.--Wind this day at noon, N.W. ;
strong breeze and fine frosty weather.
RAMSGATE, Dec. 6.—Wind N.N.W., very strong.—
Arrived—John Crosby, from Grangemouth, for St. Va.-
, lery, assisted in very leaky.
PORTSMOUTH, Dec. 6.—Wind N.N.W.—Arrived—
-1 Sarah Ellen, from Honduras ; Adelaide (s. tpt.), Con-
stantinople. Sailed—H.M.S. Urgent, for the Crimea.
COWES, Dee. €.—Wind N.W. by N.—Arrived - Ale-
jandro, from Havana, for Antwerp.
BRIDGEWATER, Dec. 6.—Wind N.N.W.—Arrived
Amazon, from Quebec.
BRIDLINGTON, Dec. 6. Since midnight it has blown a
gale from N.W., with frequent heavy snow squalls. The
fleet in the bay, now above 400 sail, all ride safely.
PLYMOUTFI,Dee. 6.—Wind N.N.W.— Arrived. Exile and H.M.S. Exmouth, from Spithead. Sailed—
Berwick (s.s.), for the Crimea.
FALMOUTH, Dec. 6.—Wind N.N.W., strong breezes
and squally--A.rxived—Otto, from Rangoon ; Hero, Ma-
zatlan, for Bremen Charles Chaloner, Quebec ; Henry
Woollie, Callao, for Cromarty ; Kate, Quebec, for Wool-
wich.
PILL, Dec. 6.—Wind N.W., strong.—Arrived—Bar-
bara, from Africa.
LivEnron, Dec. 6.—The Marco Polo, for Melbourne,
which is still aground off Huskinson's Dock, was previ-
edin
thTeherivßelra,rcohavPitadgo
ously in contact with the Glasgow, arrived here from
ly very little damage.
s
ined apparent
whichs night i ghhat and bo
is anchored damag
.Sailed_—.A_ lice, fur Jamaica.
NT Dec. 6.—Arrived—Portia, from Pertana-
Messina,
bum : 2
and William Miles, from Callao.
Off the port—Athlete
Bfl:l)(2BaltUaeEdE:: STO ,
Miramichi Quebec.

(rzs ELECTRIb TELEGRAPH.)
LIVERPOOL, Friday morning.

Wind N.
Arrived—Niagara, (5 ), from Kingstown.
Off—Margaret, from Harm.
The Marco Polo name off with the flood last night with-
out injury, and is now proceeding to sea.
QUEENSTOWN, Dec. 5.

mind
Arrived.—Pallas, from Quebec; British Isles, Callao ;
Meriden, Leghorn; Ann, Alexandria ; Cintri, Managan ;
Douro, Syra; Elizabeth, ratras ; Portia, Pernambuco.
Sailed. • Ruses, for Antwerp; Alice, Jamaica•
KINGSTOWN, Dec. G.

Wind N.W.
Arrived—lline, from Rotterdam; Majesty, Palermo;
Rosalie, Alexandria ; Edwin, Quebec.

(B! SUBMARINE AN] BRITISH TELEGRAM)
GRAVESEND, Friday, 10.30 a.m.
Wind N.W. ; tide four hours' flood ; fine.
Arrived—Sydney, (s.), from Gibraltar.
Salled.—John Henderson, for Trinidad.
DEAL, Friday, 9.58 a.m.

Wind N.W., moderate.
Anchored.—Victoria, from London, for Newport ; San
Antonio, from London, for Bilboa ; Asia, from Callao,
far London.
Sailed. —C4I
"coo, Brunelle, Phoenician, Ariel, and
Southampton--all for London.
The ship Challenger reports having spoken, Sept. 27,
otheet Ram-lame, in lat. 16.5 S., long. 74.9 E.;
Eflg,ltishheBlllputch barque Oriental, 63 days from Ran
(moo, bound for London, in lat. 35.9 S., long. 20 E.; Oct.
:2'l, the Hamburg barque Raimswell, from Batavia, for
London, in lat. 17.46 S., long. 6.1:3W.; Nov. 2, the Dutch
bll
tie Mercurius, 37 days from Hartlepool, bouxd for
Haori,g Kong; in lat. 6 N., long. 19.45 W. Nov. 14, the
English ship Trade
,Wind, 109 (lays from A'.
rracan, bound
for Falmouth, N
in Ist. 26.50 ~ long. 3,).45 W.; Nov. 23 the
American barque Bya
nt, in lat. 41.7 N.,long. 26.3:1 W.

THE WHEAT CROP OF 1856.—A Limerick paper states
that one-third more of land in the south of Ireland is
laid out for wheat this winter than this time twelve
mwahs. The high price for corn is again converting the
'Altus fields into cereal tillage.