The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-04 00:00:00

SHREWSBURY AND HEREFORD.

CORN WALL.

The directors report states that the amount re-
ceived on the capital account during the past half-
year, ending the 31st of December last, was £82,606.
Of this amount £22,755 hud been raised on &ben-
ture bonds guaranteed by the associated companies,
at a rate not exceeding 41 per cent. The remaining
£59 850 was reefived on dt bentures unguarantecd
by the associated companies. The expenditure for
the half year bad been £40,966. The works on the
extension to Falmouth, including the Falmouth

station, had been completed during the past half-
year. The whole of the contract with Messrs.
lt. Sharpe and Sons had been satisfactorily and
finally settled. The works upon this contract hno
been executed for £167,087, being £4,913 less than
the sum originally estimated by Mr. Brcreton, the
company's engineer. The receipts on revenue ac-
count for the half-year amounted to £40,716,
against £36,485 for the corresponding period of 1862.
The working expenses, owing chiefly to the recent
opening to Falmouth, had likewise increased, but
the net balance was £18,128, against £17,521 in
the corresponding half of 1862. There had been a
reduction in the amount of interest charged in the
half-year of £1,170 as cumpared with the corre-
sponding period of 1862. The capital account
showed that £1,738,559 had been received, and
.C 1,685,066 expended, leaving a balance of £53,493.
The revenue account for the half-year ending the
31st of December last showed that £.10,716 had
been received, and 1,22,39 S expended, leaving a
balance of £18,128 to meet £21,237 interest charges
for the past half-year, showing a deficiency of
£3,169, which, 4thlcd to £17,600, the, accuwulatcd
deficiencies of former half-years, made a total de-
ficiency of £50,717 in the net revenue to meet the
interest charges on loans and preference shares, but
provision was otherwise made to cover that de-
ficiency.

HATFIELD AND ST. ALBAN'S.
The report of the directors states that preliminary
agreements had been effected by Mr. Bidwell, the
valuer, witn most of the landlords and tenants on
the line, and it was now hoped the directors would
shortly- bo in a position to instruct the contractor to
begin the works. The opinion which the directors
had ever entertained of the utility of the line as
forming a link in the chain of railways from the
Great Western at Uxbridge to the Great Eastern at
Hertford continued to receive confirmation, and,
without reference to the local accommodation it
would afford, the directors thought that a fair return
upon the cost to the proprietors might be expected
from the cast and west traffic. The capital account
showed that £7,501 had been received and £3,05
expended, leaving a balance of £4,4C6.

RAILWAY BILLS.
Yesterday, in tko committee of which Mr. Woodd
is the chairman, further evidence was adduced by
Sir Alexander and Mr. Davison in favour of the
London and Brighton (Ouse Valley line), Messrs.
Wells, Clements, Reeves, Holman, and l I ood, being
examined on the traffic case, and Mr. Bidder, Q.C.,
and others on the engineering. Mr. Barrow then
opened the ease for the opposition, on the part of
landowners, and called Mr. Burton, a shareholder in
the Brighton Company, to show that at a meeting
of that company great dissatisfaction was expressed
by the proprietors at the proposed line, the meeting
being of opinion that the company had quite lines
enough. Tho room having been cleared, the com-
mittee deliberated, and then decided that the pre-
amble of the bill was proved, but only as regarded
the first two sections—viz., the lino of nine miles
from Cuckfield to Uokfiold, and of ten miles from
Uckfield t ) llailsham.
In Mr. Hardy's Committee, after hearing further
evidence in illustration of the local traffic, and the
want of railway accommodation in the district, and
examining Mr. 13rydone, C. 8., and Mr. Kelk, con-
tractor, the bill for the Watford and Edgware Junc-
tion Railway was passed, and their clauses settled.
Further evidence having been adduced in favour
of the Leeds, 13radford, and Halifax and Great
Northern Amalgamation Bill, the Committee de-
cided that the preamble was not proved. The
Committee then proceeded to consider the Bill
of the Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax Junction for
now works, and ultimately passed the bill.
The next bill was that of the Lancashire
and Yorkshire (additional powers) for the execution
of now works, and after hearing the case for the
promoters the committee passed the bill,
The traffic case in connection with the Blockley
and Banbury Railway occupied Mr. Scourlield's
committee all day, a number of witnesses being
examined by Mr. S. Hill and 11x. Holway to show
the general character of the traffic, and the large
extent of it that might be anticipated to accrue to
the company from the large beds of ironstone to be
found at Blisworth and in the Luighbourliood. Mr.
Liddell, C.L., having been examined oa the
engineering features of the line, the committee
adjourned.
The following railway hint; were parsed in Mr.
Massey's committee :--I,lanelly (capital), Caine
(amendment), Newry and Greenore, Swansea Vale,
Carmarthen and Cardigan (1), Great North of
Scotland.

Trig SUDDENNESS OF I'RESCOTT'S DEATII.—
On the morning of the 28th of January, 180, he
was apparently in good health and spirits, talking about
beginning work in earnest. Shortly beloro noon, he went
&yin his study into an adjoining room. His secretary hear-
ing him groan, followed, and found him struck with P
ilexy , and at half-past two ho died, never having Val"
or evinved any sign of consciousness. The universal burst
of sorrow with which the intelligence was received op both
sides of the Atlantic was like that which a year later fol-
lowed the sudden death of Macaulay, or that which two
months ago born testimony to the rat and good gals of
T backer hy.-21te Rea(m.

Au Old-Fashioned Ghost Story.
(Extracta Jr•om Thomas Wright's .-10,!,1,,grap1,y.)
Mr. Wright states that the 'E irl referred to in
this ghost narrative was the last of the Earls of
Powis of the family of Herbert. The narrator of
the story eaid she was a poor woman who got her
living by spinning hemp and line; that it was cus-
tomary for the fara.ers and gentlemen of that neigh•
hourhood to grow a little hemp or line in the corner
of their fields, for their own home consumption, and
as she had a good hand at spinning the materials,
she used to go from house to house to inquire for
work; that her method was, where they employed
her, during her stay to have meat, and drink, and
lodging (if she had occasion to sleep with them), for
her work, and what they pleased to give her
besides. That, among other places, she happened
to call in one day at the Welsh Earl Powib's
country -seat, called Beelcastle, to inquire for work,
as she usually had done before. The quality wore
at this time in London, and had left the steward
and hie wife, with other servants, as usual, to take
care of their country residence in their absence.
The steward's wife set her to work, and in the
evening told her that she must stay all night with
teem, as they had more work for her to do next
day. When bedtime arrived, two or three of :he
servants in company, with each a lighted candle in
her hand, conducted her to her lodging. They led
her to a ground room, with a boarded floor and two
sash windows. The room was grandly furnished,
and had a genteel bed in the corner of it. They had
made her a good fire, and had placed her a chair
and a table before it, and a large lighted candle
upon the table. They told her that was her bed-
room, and she might go to sleep when she pleased ;
they then wished her a good night, and withdrew
altogether, pulling the door quickly after them, so
as to hasp the spring•sneck in the brass lock that
was upon it. Mien they were gone, she gazed
awhile at the fine furniture, under no small aston•
ishment that they should put such a poor person
as she in so grand a room and bed, with all the
apparatus of fire, chair, table, and candle. She was
also surprised at the circumstance of the servants
coming so many together, with each of them a
candle; however, after gazing about her some little
time, she sat down and took a small Welsh Bible
out of her pocket, which she always carried about
with her, and in which she usually read a chapttr
—chiefly in the New Testament—before she said
her prayers and went to bed. While she was read-
ing, she heard the room door open, and, turning
her head, saw a gentleman enter in a gold-laced
hat and waistcoat, and the rest of his dress corres
ponding therewith, . . Ile walked down by the
sash window to the corner of the room, and then
returned. When he came at the first window in
his return (the bottom of which was nearly breast
high) he rested his elbow on the bottom of the
window, and the side of his face upon the palm of
his hand, and stood in that leaning posture for some
time, with his side partly towards her. She looked
at him earnestly to see Jell() knew him, but though,
from her fr«pent intercourse with them, she had a
personal knowledge of ail the present family, he ap-
peared a stranger to her. She supposed, afterwards,
that he stood in this manner to encourage her to
speak ; but as she did not, after some little time he
walked off, pulling the door after him as the ser-
vants had done before. She now began to be much
alarmed, concluding it to be an apparition, and that
they bed put her there on purpose. This was really
the case. The room, it seems, had been disturbed for
a long time, so that nobody could sleep peaceably in
it, and as she passed for a very serious woman, the
servants took it into their heads to put the Metho-•
dist and spirit together, to see what they would
make of it. Startled at this thought, she rose from
her chair, and kneeled down by the bedside to say
her prayers. 'While she was praying ho came i❑
again, walked round the room, and came close
behind her. She had it on her mind to speak,
but when she attempted it she was so very much
agitated, that she could not utter a word.
lie walked out of the room again, pulling the
door after him as before. She begged that God
would strengthen her, and not suffer her
to be tried beyond what she was able to bear ;
.ho rccororcd hc► epiiita, and thought oho felt
more confidence and resolution, and determined
if ho came again she would speak to him
if possible. lie presently came in again, walked
round, and camp behind her as before; she turned
her head and said, ' l'ray, sir, who are you, and what
do you want ?" lie put up his finger, and said,
"'Take up the candle and follow me, and I will tell
you." She got up, took up the candle, and followed
him out of the room. Ile led her through a long
boarded passage, till they came to the door of
another room, which he opened and went in ; it
was a small room, or what might be calied a large
closet. "As the room was small, and I believed
him to be a spirit," said she, " I stopped at the
door; he turned and said, "Walk in; I will not
hurt you ;" so I walked in. Ho said, " Observe
what I do ;" I said, "I will." lie stopped, and tore
up one of the boards of the floor, and there appeared
under it a box with an iron handle in the lid. Ile
said, "Do you nee that box P'' I said, " Yes, I due'
lie then stepped to one side of the room and
showed me a crevice in the wall, where, ho said, a
key was hid that would open it. He said, " This
box and key must 1)0 taken out, and sent to the
earl in London" (naming the earl and his place of
reeidence in the city). lie said, " Will you see it
done?" I said, "I will do my best to get it done;'"
he sAid, " Do, and I will trouble the house tie
more." Hy then walked out of the room and left TM'.

I stepped to the room door, and net up a shout.
'rho steward and his wife, with the other servants,
came to me immediately ; all clung together, with
a number of lights in their hands. It seems they
had all been waiting to see the issue of the inter-
view betwixt me and the apparition. They asked
mu what was the matter ? 1 told them the fore-
going circumstances, and showed them the box.
The steward durst not meddle with it, but his wife
had more courage, and, with the help of the other
.servants, tugged it oat, and found the key. She
said by their lifting it appeared to bo pretty heavy,
but that she did not see it opened, and therefore
did not know what it c mtained:—perhaps money,
or writings of consequence to the family, or both.'
They took it away with them, and she then went to
bed and slept paseealny till the morning."
As the narrator of this spiritual incident was
well known to have been (and then to be) a reci-
pient of the E irl'a bounty in consequence of the
discovery of this box, the ghost element in the tale
was widely credited. The story is at least as cir-
cumstantial, says the Athena-ton, as any h gelid of
the outer world with which we are acquainted.

Foreign Mail Packet List..

- - 4".

MAILS DUB.
Auatralla and iidauritius, via Southampthn. ..... Mar. 20.
via Mareeillea Mar. 14
Limn and Cape Verde, by British packet. Mar. 6.
Cape of (Mood hope Ascoutsion, and St. Helena Mar. 30.
Chi"' l'ellanirt and Singapore, via Southaniptoo M :Ir. 20.
via Marioillos Mar. 14
Falkland Islands
(; tbraltar, via S, ut lima 1 )tott .................. Mar. 13.
1 mita (Calcutta), mid Ceylon, via :-...uthatui ton.. Mar. 20.
via 111 aracill, ~... Tiat. IL
India (Bombay), via Southampton ............ 7
Mar. 13.
via Maracilloa ................ Mar.
Portugal .... ............................... Mar, 6.
Malta, Egypt, and Adon, via Souther-1,0,0 Mar. 13,
via Marrei I lom M ar. 7
Nowfoundland .............
b.t.y.y.c.u.an..s.a..d.ri.itic.u.k.o.t.. ... I\lar. 16.
Oporto and Vigo .! ........... .
U. S. and Britimh N. America, by Init. ;tackle,: .0t..„...1.1ii1aur: 140.
%V .C. of Africa. kladeirs, and 'lanai& M lir. 10.
liabanut, via Now York Mar. 11.
Maxioo• ................................ . .. , Mar. 16.
411 par ts () f WOlit Indien, including t 'I,III, 1., ~.„
California. and Britian Columbia.. ' 1 Mar. 30,

FoGGrrio IN THE ARMY AND NAVY..—..A. meet-
ing of the members of the Society for Promoting
the abolition of Flogging in the Army and Navy was held
ratorday afternoon at the London Coffee-home, Ludgate-
hill—Captain Raymond, R.N., in the chair. Oa the
'notion of the Rev, T. Tuffield. of Woolwich, it was unani-
mously resolved—," That this meeting is delighted to find
that the expression of public opinion of late has bad an in-
fluence on the War Department and tended to reduce the
evil which this society purposes to remove, and sincerely
trusta that by the faithful and energetic conduct of those
members in the House of Commons who aro favourable to
their cause the barbarous custom of flogging will soon be
entirely tradicated.''.

The will of Admiral Sir Henry Bruce,
K.C.13., was proved in the London Court by his sun,
Henry Stewart Beresford Bruce, Esq., the tole
exe-
cutor. The personalty in this country was sworn
under £5,000, and the testator was also possess( d
of East India and Canadian securities. The will
bears date 1831, when Sir Henry was Captain and
Commander, and was executed en board her Mejes-
ty's frigate Penelope at sea, in lat. 17.30 N., long.
22.30 W., and witnessed by Captain H. Lyster and
Lieutenant F. 1). Rich. This gallant naval officer
in
1 1%1, he c Tat:
had seen much service. In July, 1852, he became
Rear-Admiral ; in 1856, Commander-in-Chief in the
mPaacndifiecr;-inii-iChlief 837,atVIic'eor.Atsmdinouirttihi; i n 1863
appointed Admiral. Sir Henry, by deed of settle-
ment made the month preceding the date of his will,
had disposed of all his heritable property in favour
of his son Henry Stewart 13ereeforcl Bruce, one
provision being mace for younger children; and by
the will he disposes of the rest of his property in
certain proportions amongst his children, appoint-
ing his said son Henry residuary legatee.
The will of the late Frederick Huth, Esq., of
Harley-street, a merchant of the city of London,
was proved by his three sons, who arc appointed
executors. The personalty was sworn under
£500,000. Thu will, dated 1839, after stating that
he had five daughters and three sons, and that ho
had made settlements in his lifetime of considerable
sums in favour of his daughters, proceeds to make a
further provision for them and their families, leav-
ing the residue of his property amongst his three
sons. There are liberal legacies and annuities to
servants and dependants, tree of legacy duty.
Amongst some specific bequests and presentations
which had been made to the testator, one of which is
a gold snuffbox, with diamonds and a portrait of
the Queen Mother Maria Christina of Spain, which
her Majesty, then Queen Regent, presented to him
in 184 U. This, with some other presentations, ho
leaves to his eldest son, Charles Frederick, to be
held as heirlooms. Other mementos and gifts of
esteem and affection which had been presented to
him he has distributed amongst his family.
The will of John Moritz Oppenheim, Eq., of
New Cannon-street, merchant; and of Hamburg,
Leipsic, and New 'York, was proved in London,
under 1230,000 personalty in Great Britain—the
executors being George K ington Smith and John
Lloyd, E,qrs. The will bears date 1833, and a
codicil 1858. Tno testator has bequeathed liberal
legacies to his relatives and friends ; the residue,
real and personal, he leaves to the family of his
partner, Frederic Augusto Schroder, the husband
of his niece. There is a bequest of 5;1,000 to Louis
Kossuth, late Governor of Hungary, ifs a trifling
murk of respect, and in admiration of his wisdom,
skill, and patriotism. To the five following insti-
tutions legacies of £101) aro bequeathed—namely,
the London Ophthalmic Institution, St. Thurnae's
llospital, Royal Free Hospital, Society for the Re-
lief of Foreigners in Distress, and to any hospital
in Hamburg the executors may select. To cich of
his clerks in England, America, Russia, end Ger-
many 1100, and a like sum to his principal ware-
housemen; to all other warehousemen and women
in his employ £lO each; and to his servants ono
year's wages. There is a bequest of two paintings
to the National Gallery.