The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-06 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

SOUTH DEVON EXTENSIONS.—The Plymouth and
Tavistock proper having obtained a subscription list
sufficient to enable it to pass the standing orders, the
South Devon has further ratified its prospects of suc-
cess by obtaining contractors to carry out the whole of
the works at a price within the estimated capital. It
has also taken a perpetual lease of the line at a rental
which secures to the shareholders, after the first two,
years, a minimum interest of 31. 15s. per cent., with
two-thirds of surplus profits. Such being the case, the
proprietors will not be surprised to learn that Mr. Gill's
scheme is to be opposed from the outset ; a committee
of directors from the Great Western, Bristol, and
Exeter, and South Devon, having already begun, with
Mr. Brunel, to scrutinise whether or not the Okeha*ip-
ton divergence has complied with the standing orders.—
Railway Times.

EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY PIVIDEND,-It is be-

lieved that the forthcoming dividend will be ss. per
share, though, if possible, it will be strained to ss. 6d..
SOUTH MIDLANDS RAILWAY.—It is said that this
project has sustained a heavy loss by the death of Sir J.
J. Guest, as one of its patrons.
SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—Mr. Bulkeley, formerly
the secretary of the Eastern Counties Railway, has been
selected to succeed Mr. Wyndham Harding as secretary
of the South-western Railway. It would have been
difficult for the company to choose a more honourable
and gentlemanly man than Mr. Bulkeley, judging from
what he was when at the Eastern Counties.—iferapath,'s
Journal.
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN AND NORTH STAY.
FORDSHIRE RAILWAYS.—The arbitration of Mr. Hope
and Mr. Stephenson would at length seem to have been
effectual, both companies having announced meetings to
"approve or otherwise" of the recommendations of these
gentlemen. The proprietors of the London and North-
western being thus afforded an opportunity of con-
sidering the desirableness of increasing the number and
burden of their leases, we may perhaps acquire some
information on the point why, the North Staffordshire
being considered worth only three and a half per cent.,
the Shrewsbury and Chester should be offered four and
a half. As the two lines exist at present, independently,
as well as in closeness of relation to the London and
North-western, the North Staffordshire is decidedly the
most valuable of the two, more especially as half of the
Shrewsbury and Chester may be obtained at its precise
value.—Railway Times.

THE PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM
NAVIGATION COMPANY.

The annual meeting of this company was held on
Saturday, at their offices in Leadenhall-street ; Captain
Thornton, R.N., in the chair. The report of the court
of directors was read and unanimously adopted by the
proprietors, as was also a resolution recommending the
payment of a dividend of 4 per cent. clear of income-tax
for the half-year ending 30th September last, payable
on on and after the 23d instant. The proprietors' un-
derwriting account shows a balance at 30th Septem-
ber, 1852, of 29,0421. is, 5d., out of which the direc-
tors recommend a payment of 11. per old share, and a
proportionate amount for every new share, early in the
ensuing year, to each proprietor on the number of shares
for which he may be entitled to the dividend now about
to be declared, which, it is estimated, will amount to
22,5001., leaving a balance to the credit of this account
of about 6,5421. ls. sd. to be carried to the next year's
account.
The steam-fleet of the company now comprises 27
vessels afloat, 11 building, and 4 store ships, in all 42
vessels of 53,850 tons and 14,290 horse power, estimated
when all completed to be worth upwards of two millions
sterling. The directors purpose, on the commencement
of the new postal service in January next, to lower the
rate of passage money between Europe and the East.
Very satisfactory reference is made in the report to the
establishment of a Marine Life and Casualty .31utual
Assurance Society at Southamption, the objects of which
are to enable the offiepra, seamen, and ongincoro of the
couiliany to Insure their lives at moderate premium s, as
well as to provide for themselves annuities when age
accident may render them unfit for ery
his
plan has hitherto been very successful, a lsr
ge num-
ber tof seamen, and others in the companyoftheeingsotyi:
having availed themselves of the advantages

tution.
The proceedings of the meeting dosed with n. vote of
thanks to the chairman.

DEB.—It Will be remembered,
they nquisition by the coroner
11
nearangs et o f
TsomeMilton,.person i
ot the eparishpersons
White, w woman, supposed
tt that, a tn,
inquire
rteh
he conclusion nc
of
Maryuss
oigomnoeaomf
to be possessed o
of Buckland-gonae ioru ,avistock, Devon, a
verdict of wilful the Ist of October, at
k own, was returned, and that although some sus-
uaritdtehreTvig
upci-onr, wag attached to John White, a miller, and son
the murdered woman, on the last day of the inquest,
it was effectually removed by the production of un-
doubted evidence as to where he was during the whole
hours from the time the poor old lady was last seen
alive to the period she was found dead in her bed, with
her throat cut in the most barbarous and cruel manner ;
and it will also be recollected that it was thought there
was something strange in the conduct of Benjamin Con
ber, a small farmer and butcher residing near the de-
ceased, and who was reputed to have borrowed money
of her. This man was intoxicated before and on the
evening of the murder, and when sent for by the coro-
ner he was again drunk. These circumstances caused
him to be regarded with suspicion, but up to lastii we
there was no evidence against him. During the pasthat
week the village constable, Elson, ha
Grace Worthley, a neighbour of parties,theerdihte saw mr
had sais.
d
that, on the night of the murder, after
s
White, at half-past ten o'clock, she went to
.00ais for
Sir A. Buller, and that her husband I
bed,r leaving
her husband, Robert Worthley, up, malting
Ig brooms
toher that,
about two o'clock in the morning on which
Mrs. White
was found dead, he saw Corber go towards Mrs.
White's house door—that he looked out at the window
and saw him distinctly. In consequence of this in-
formation he communicated with the magistrate acting
for that district of Devonshire, and Corber has been ap-
prehended ; and, on Saturday, he was brought before J.
H. Gill, Esq., county magistrate, at the Lopes Arms,
when'these facts were deposed to, and Corber was re-
manded to Saturday next, the 11th. The wife of Corber
is also in custody.