The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-16 00:00:00

DENMARK.

The plenipotentiaries of the Great Powers have
been surnished with full powers for the purpose of
holding a conference in London for the final settle-
ment of the Danish territorial and succession ques-
tions. The preliminaries of this protracted and
complicated negotiation having been all but settled,
the plenipotentiaries will have little more to do than
to exchange full powers and sign the protocol, the
basis of which will be—first, the integrity of the
Danish Monarchy guaranteed to remain as it was
previous to the Holstein rebellion; and secondly,
in order to secure this integrity, the settlement
of the succession to the Danish Crown, in
the event of the KING and his uncle
Prince FERDINAND dying without male issue,
upon Prince CHRISTIAN, of Schlesvvig-Flol-
stein Sonderburg Gliieissburg, his heirs and suc-
cessors, to the exclusion of all other pretenders.
Prince CHRISTIAN is second son and fifth child of
Duke CHARLES, and is married to a daughter of
Landgrave Weeneam of Hesse Cassel (brother to
the Duchess of Cambridge), whose wife is a daughter
of FREDERICK VI. of Denmark. He has eight chil
dree, of whom four are sons. His Highness is in his
34th year. Prince FREDERICK. of Hesse has re-
nounced and made over his stipulated rights to bis
sister, wife of Prince CHRISTIAN, and she to her hus-
band ; and renouccensents of ail claims, with ultimate
reserves in case of issue failing, have been made
by the Emperor of RUSSIA as head of the
Gottorp line; by the Grand Duke of OLDENBURG ; by
the House of Nassau ; and, in short, by all agnates.
The pretensions of the Duke AUGUSTENBURG and
of the Prince of NOER, who, with their families,
have been excluded from the amnesty, and
banished from the Danish territory, are completely
ignored. Tee protocol of the Conference, to which
Sweden will be a party, being signed, the inte-
grity of Denmark's territory will henceforth rest
under the immediate and solemn guarantees of the
five Great Powers, and will thus be placed beyond
the reach of further assaults. Infinite waste of blood
and treasure, and infinite injustice to Denmark,
might have been spared, had the Great Powers been
enabled, or had they been willing to meet the exigen-
cies of the case with similar decision and equity three
years past.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
WEST CORNWALL.

A special general meeting of the proprietors of this
railway was held at the company's offices, 38,
Tbrogmcrton-street, on Wednesday, Mr. H. 0. Wills
in the chair, for the purpose of considering, and, if ap-
proved of, adopting a resolution for borrowing on
mortgage or bonds of the company a sum not
exceeding 114,6801., in accordance with the powers
and provisions of the Act of Incorporation. The
advertisement convening the meeting having been
read,

The CHAIRMAN said that it had been thought
desirable to complete the line to Truro with as little
delay as possible; end, looking at the heavy amount
of calls which would be necessary from the share-
holders if the whole of the contracts were paid in
cash, the directors, prior to the commencement of the
works, had made an arrangement with the contractor
to pay him a moiety of the two first contracts in
debentures, and to pay the third contract entirely in
debentures, at five per cent., making altogether the
sum of 76,680 Z. And, in addition to this amount, the
company was authorised by the Amendment Act to
issue further debentures for 38,0001, to pay off the
existing liabilities of the company, including the
mortgage debt due to the Phoenix Insurance-office,
making an aggregate of 114,6801. He begged,
therefore, to move that a sum not exceeding 114,6801.
be borrowed on mortgage or bonds of the company.
Mr. HARRISON seoonded the motion.
A PROPRIETOR inquired at what rate of interest the
directors proposed to borrow the money.
The CHAIRMAN—We have agreed for five per cent.
on the contractor's debentures.

The PROPRIETOR—Do you intend to borrow the
remainder at the same rate ?

The CHAIRMAN—We hope not.
A PROPRIETOR—Have you fixed upon your maxi-
mum ?

The CHAIRMAN—We have not done that, but we
shall endeavour to get the money upon more advan-
tageous terms. The money market is in a most fa-
vourable state now.
The PROPRIETOR—WouId it not be desirable that
the money wanted should be raised by calls ?
The CHAIRMAN—We are pledged by our report
not to make any more calls than we have done for the
year 1852.

-
Another PROPRIETOR asked whether there was any
pozsibility of she loan being paid off?
Mr. Louis Viunas (a director) replied that there
was. He thought that the loan ought not to be made
for an indefinite period. The calls which might be
made on the shares would be amply sufficient, if re-
quired, to pay off the whole of the mortgage.
In reply to another question as to the extent of the
sum which the directors proposed to borrow,
The CHAIRMAN explained that they wished to take
powers to borrow a large sum ; but they hoped that
they would not require the whole of the amount. An
estimate had been prepared showing the real position
of the company, and with the permission of the meet-
ing ha would read it. They wanted for Mr. Ridson's
contract the sum of 106,0001., with '20,000/. more for
stations and extras; for land, 35,0001.; for law,
engineering, &c., 20, 000/., making togethna total of
181,0001. They had paid Mr. Ridson, 7,f-01-ac-
tor, 28,2001. in cash, and 42,0001. alrea4
and they had yet to pay him a balance of 2k„
in cash and 35,000/. in bonds or debentures, which
would make up the total amount that they had cal-
culated on having to pay him, viz., 126,000/. Then
they had paid in cash for land 29,500/., and they had
5,5001. still to pay for land. They bad also to pay
for law and engineering 20,0001., making altogether
the 181,000/. above stated.
The motion was then put from the chair and carried
unanimously.
Mr. KENNARD then moved, and Mr. L. Via crßs
seconded, a formal resolution in pursuance of the fore-
going, authorising and instructing the directors to
issue bonds to an amount not exceeding 114,6801. at
anv rates of interest not beyond five per cent. per an-
num.—Carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks was then passed to the Chairman,
and the proceedings terminated.

READING, GUILDFORD, AN.D. REIGATE.
On Wednesday an adjourned. special general meet-
inghld of the proprietors of_ this
acomt company was held
at the London
.Tavern, B,s op,ga e-s reet, for the
purpose of submitting to. them the draft of a Bill. for
amalgamating the Reading, Guildford, and Reigate
Company with the South-Eastern Company, for the
dissolution of the former company, and other pur-
Po" 8. The chair was taken by Mr. Alderman Salo-
mons, M. p.
maga. it more
The CHAIRMAN briefly opened the proceedings by
remarking that since the last meeting the matter had
beensreferred to Mr. Ker, counsel for the company,
and iqr. 2uller, counsel for the South-Eastern Com-
pany' who had altered and simplified the Bill, so as to
trusted it. Would
unanimously approved of by the directors, and he
acceptable to the shareholders. It was
pruc.tors, inasmuch as it would have the effect of meet with the approval of the
im-
provingpro-
the value of their shares in the market.
Mr. FantltAN, the solicitor to the company, then
proceeded to explain theprovisions of the Bill, stating
that the Reading proprietors were to have preferential
stock, or perpetual debentures in the shape of annui-
ties of 2W f
. 61. „
every 201. ...hare. They would
then be placed in the
position of debenture holders,.
having a tint charge ou the line immediately after
the existing debenture holders with this further ad-
vantage, that such securities would be transferable as
sahnadreths'ereT:'ae sa presentpro%isaion
in mount of deb. w' :s 2,000 0001.
the Bill authorising the
conversion of that debt into preferential stock, pro-

vided the preferential charge for such debt did not
exceed 100,0001. a year—that was, that it should take
precedence ovar the Reading shareholders, who would
rank next.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed that the Bill be ap-
proved of, subject to such alterations as Parliament
might think proper to make.
The motion having been seconded was carried
unanimously, and after a vote of thanks to the chair-
man and directors, the meeting separated.

tsaokniwidrr: tnotY skirting
and d b y
WORCESTER AND HER A. EFORD.— special meting of
the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal Company was held
at Gloucester on Wednesday.—Mr. Potter, a director of 1
the Great Western Company, moved, and Mr. Baker,
another director, seconded a motion for opposing the
Worcester sad Hereford narrow gauge Bill, and fair sub-
scribing 300/. for that purpose. After a long discussion
a poll took place, and resulted in the rejection of Mr.
Potter's motion by a majority of 199 votes.
LONDON, TILBURY, AND SOFTTELEND.—The report of
the Admiralty states that the object Of this railway is to
connect the Eastern Counties Railway with the Thames,
near Tilbury Fort, at Sea Reach, and at Southend.
The interferences with the jurisdiction of the Ad-
E aant aßraerkbinyg, the Rainham-creek, near Rainham,
crossing the river Boding, above the
navigable fleet of South Benfleet; by
the sea-shore between Leigh and South-
end; the erection of piers in Gravesend
and Sea-reach.. The Admiralty will require that
plans of the bridges or crossings over the river Boding
Rodnham-creek, and Benfleet-creek, and of any works
connected with them and with the piers in the Thames,
be approved of by their Lordships before being con-
structed. If the viaduct between Leigh and Southend
b
piling, it shall be so constructed as to admit of a
free communication beneath for boats, to may be ap-
proved by their Lordships; if solid, their Lordships will
squire a causeway to be constructed without the bank,
seven
sipt b three feet above high-water mark,
with a proper sea wall, for the free use of the public,
and that crossings under or over the railway at suitable
yards whie, and
provided to the satisfaction of their Lord-
STOUR VALLEY.—Sir William Cubitt has msda his
preliminary report to the Board of Trade, which we un-
derstand is in every respect in favour of the views advo-
cated by the London and North-Western Company, and
condemnatory of the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Com-
pany.— Wolverhampton Herald.
ALTON.—The works on the branch railway from this
town to Farnham are rapidly advancing to completion.
A communication has been formed by the permanent
rails on the entire length of the line, wilh the exception
of an embankment about 300 yards in length, near the
village of Bentley. Considerable delay was caused by
the subsidence of an embankment in the Holt Forest. it
appears that the earth forming this embankment rested
on a body of gait clay, which was too soft to carry the
weight of the superadded mass. The difficulty was ulti-
mately overcome by digging out part of the clay, dtiving
piles, and filling op
the space from which the clat had
been dug with This railway differs from most
gavel.
of the branches of the South-Western, in. having only a
single line of rails. Besides the station at Alton, there
is to be one at or near Baiatley, for the accommodation
of the thickly.
peoplid district around, including Bin
stead, ,
e--- nth-;, and Erode. It is expected that the line
B
will be open for taiffic towards the end of May or be-
ginning 0! Jane.— Wiltshire Mirror.

THE REPORTED UNSE'AWORTI7INFSS OF
%HE ROYAL WEST INDIA MAIL STEAM-
SHIP CONWAY.
Yesterday afternoon the following important com-
munication was posted in the underwriters' room at
Lloyd's, concerning the alleged unseaworthineas of
the Conway steam-ship, one of the fleet of the Royal
Wrest India Mail Company It mcly be remembered
that a few days back considerable anxiety was mani-
fested respecting this vessel on her last homeward
voyage, in consequence of her being some days over-
due ; and as most serious charges were made relative
to the general insufficiency of the Conway as to the
service on which she was employed, the committee of
management of the Corporation of Lloyds directed an
jogai; y to be instituted into the character and condi-
tion of the steamer. Captain Halsted, R.N., secre-
tary of Lloyd's, communicated with the board of
director 3, and the following has been received in ex-
planation

" Royal Mail Steam-packet Company,
" No. 55, Moorgafe-street, London, April 14, 1852.
"Sir,—your letter dated the 7th inst., together with
th 3 copy of one
you bad received from the members of
Lloye's, suggesting that the committe for managing the
affairs of that corporation should make inqciries into
the state of the Royal Mail. Steam-packet Company's
steamer Conway, and her unfitness' to carry passen-
gers, mails, and specie, has been laid before the direc-
tors; and, in thanking you for the courtesy of your
communication, I am desired to lay before the committee
of Lloyd's the following statement of facts, with the as-
surance of the satisfaction the directors feel in having a
proper opportunity of removing the unfavourable im-
pression us to the condition of the Conway. The vessel
in question (I am to state) is of 895 tons burden and
260-horse power. She was built by Mr. Pitcher,
of Northfket, and her engines were made by
Messrs, Mandslay, Sons, and Field. She proceeded
from Southomp:ozi to Grenada, on her first service, on
the 11th April, 1847, her daily average run on that oc-
casion being 209 miles. She remained in the West Indies
until the Bth of May, 1849, and then returned to England
by way of Bermuda, with her Majesty's mails, averaging
during the passage 210 miles of distance daily. Having
received
a thorough overhaul and refit in Hull—spars,
rigging, and machinery—she again. proceeded (on the
17th of July, 1849) to the West Indies, taking out the
Government mails, and making a daily average run of
197 miles. On the 11th of March of the present year she
was spin ordered home to be altered and repaired, but
owing to strong heed winds- and the ragged state of
her copper (not to any weakness in her hull or ma-
chinery) her average daily run from St. Thomas's to
Southampton did not exceed 162 miles. As her pre-
vious performances, however, were no doubt thought to
justify the step, she was again allowed to bring home
the mails; and in addition to them she of course received
such passengers and freight (treasure and merchandise)
as offered for conveyance to England. So far was the
Conway from being in a weak and crippled state when
she left the West Indies, that she might have performed
the inter colonial service there atiother year, had it not
been decided to withdraw her immediately to be re-cop-
pared and repaired, but not because she was unsea-
worthy as regarded either her hull or machinery. The
boilers, indeed, had been in her scarcely five years,
during which period they had been mended when neces-
sary, and once thoroughly repaired. On her late pas-
sage home they gave no trouble, although they were
constantly worked (as they had been previously) at the
steam pressure of Blbs, on the square inch, and were
they considered sufficiently powerful to achieve the in-
creased rate of speed which the company are desirous
their vessels should attain, it would not now be ne-
cessary to remove them. In February last one of the
managers of the company proceeded in the Conway from
Haeannah to Jamaica and St. Thomas's and reported
that the state of hor copper alone made it requisite to
withdraw her. Had he been doubtful of her condition,
he would not have allowed her to be used for the con-
veyance of passengers, mails,
and treasure from St.
Thomas's to Southampton. In conclusion lam to state,
that there is reason to believe that the reports which are
current about the Conway originated in the simple air
cumstance of her being employed to convey passengers,
mails, and treasure, when on her passage homeward to
be repaired, and in a feeling of objection likewise which
some persons entertained
at being sent across the At-
lantic in any other than the largest class Transatlantic
steamers, bat not in well-grounded belief of the vessel's
inefficiency.
`t I am, Sir, your very obedient servant,
ecret"aEry. CatnitrloPyEdLts.3l, Sec.
"Captain

INSTITUTION
On Tuesday,
the chair, the first
. ~awai n
Ugi. b rtitdog ezvhefro
rtdh e
POakp'e.
r ClVlLre„dwEa
sN,,GAI NecEouEaßtS of. a
J3mes M. Bendel, Esq., president, in
Mr. P. river Bother, at Rye, on the
South-Eastern Railwa and
others previously erected, Hastings branch of the
in the construction—ected,
bars, in the roller.
*which was constructed from the
C. E. This bridgp y!" by Mr. C. May, M. Inst.
were 112 feet ion
designs of
and May, of Ipswich
over the support, andeintgh
BArlow, by Messrs. Rtnsomes
, although similar in principle to
and 2 feet 6presented some difference
lengths,in the arrangement of the tie-
', and in other details. The girders
sidesa their ends by
4:, 3 feet 6 inches deep in the centre,
one inchesjointb at the ends, made. up in four
and the ends. These in
hthe cehnettrwee,eenmtmheedoieantetrly
giredoertsewrsere secured togethere
ofwhich means of cross girders; the- under
were planed, and incline, so as to
be slightly lifted,
places, on when swung home to their
Provision girders secured to the land piers.
was made on the underside of the main
girders, at three places on each side of the centre
of the bridge, for receiving the tie bars, which all
tended to one point over the middle. Each tie-bar
was four inches by one inch in section and was ad-
justable for tension, by a right and left-handed screw,
the nut of one end of which was in the tie-bar, and
the other between two plates of wrought iron resting
on the side standards, or A frames, which were con-
nected together by a wrought iron arch. The turn•
ing of the bridge was effected by means of spur
gearing, worked from a platform projecting from the
face of each girder. Two men could with ease open
the bridge in two minutes ; the total weight of metal,
in the moving part, exclusive of the roadway, was
about 130 tons.
" A descri lion of the
lattice-beam viaduct, to carry the Waterford and
The next paper read was p
Kilkenny Railway across the river Nore, near Tho-
,
mastown, county Kilkonny,",by Captain W. S
Moor.
som, M. Inst. C.E. Til- span of the bridge was ex-
tended to 200 feet chiefly in order to avoid the inter-
ference of the inspecting officers of the Board of
Works (Ireland), whose proceedings had, in other
cases, been so vexatious as to cause great delay in the
execution of works ; and, in one instance, of a small
arch of twelve feet spat,, crossing 8 stream, with a
be brought up in
excavationbot bottom of fires
thisl i m e
rocke to oe
troo oak ,
depththey
si
x insistedfeet on
below
e
the bed of the stream, and cawed the foundations
, front that ~ to
'P h The
length ut IP gml..t• enable ; die piers ::, •
masooty irom ',lac n, ,
on the bAnks without, the Aid of cofferdams. . ~The i
foundation
'" an was strong loans and gravel, f — (
ave.