The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-31 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEYIBER 31, 1862.

RAILWAY AND OTHER COMPANIES.

BURTON-ON-TRENT AND SOUTH LEICES-

TERSHIRE.

The Parliamentary estimate for the proposed line
from near Hinckley to the Leicester and Burton
line of the Midland Railway at Desford is £60,000.

INDIAN TRAMWAY.

A special general meeting of this company was
held yesterday at the London Tavern, to consider
the policy of proceeding with the construction of a
line of road in the Bombay Presidency; Sir Mac-
donald Stephenson in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN said they had met to consider
the policy of proceeding with a tramway in the
Bombay Presidency, for which the board had re-
ceived a tender from a responsible contractor. The
line referred to would connect the Palej station of
the Bombay and Baroda Railway with Jumbooseer,
in the cotton dish icts. The contractor was Mr. G.
Wythes. The company was formed in the early
part of the year, the object being to supply the
greatest want of India—cheap intercommunication.
Most of the members of the board knew the country
well, and, having personally experienced the evils of
the want of roads in India, had suggested those most
needed. The terms proposed by the Government had
proved inadequate to raise the required capital, ex-
cept to a limited extent. The remedy was simple,
and the board had taken the most effectual means to
provide it. They had induced their concave, Sir
J. Login, to proceed to India to state to the Govern-
ment that the terms originally proposed were insuf-
ficient, and that, unless those important works were
' to be indefinitely postponed, it was indispensable
that new and more liberal terms sho'ild be at once
conceded. The subject in all its bearings would,
therefore, be promptly brought under the recon-
sideration of the Government of India and of the
Home authorities, and the board looked forward
with confidence to an early and satisfactory termi-
nation to their negotiations, Some months must
necessarily elapse before those terms could be ob-
tained, and it was especially with reference to the
course to be pursued in the interval that the board
were desirous to take the opinion of the shareholders.
Although the capital had not been subscribed to the
extent anticipated, the subscriptions amounted to a
sufficient sum to enable the company to proceed with
on eline experimentally which might be completed in
18 months under contract and would confirm the value
of those works and yield a fair rate of remuneration
upon the outlay. It was for the meeting to decide
whether the line should at once be proceeded with.
Under the circumstances, he thought the coarse sug-
gested would be the wisest and best—while requir-
ing from the Government of India amended and
adequate terms of support as the indispens able con-
dition of proceeding any further with those works,
the urgent necessity for which was admitted
throughout India, and by no one more strongly
than by the Government, to at once construct one
short line. This would demonstrate the utility of
such lines, and their remunerative character. If the
meeting approved those views, they would be car-
ried out by the board with all possible despatch and
economy. Although the terms were not such as to
enable them to obtain a large amount of capital,
they could not incur much risk, and might do much
good, by placing those works in their true character
before the public. As to further operations they
could then await the return of Sir J. Login, and
the result of the new negotiations with the Govern-
ment of India. He concluded by moving the fol-
lowing resolution :

" That the shareholders approve the course sug-
gested of undertaking the contract for the road from
Palej to Jumbooseer, being a short line capable of
easy and early construction at a fixed contract cost,
and forming an important link between the cotton
districts and the trunk line to Bombay, on the un-
derstanding that the Board will not enter upon the
execution of any more lines until the Government
of India shall have conceded such terms as in the
judgment of a special general meeting, to be con-
vened for the purpose, shall be considered satisfac-
tory."

In reply to a question, it was stated that the con-
tract for the intended line would amount to £62,000,
but, including interest at 5 per cent. per annum
during construction, and other charges, the total
cost would not exceed £70,000. Betwt en 5,000 and
6,000 shares had been recently taken up in India.
The motion was then carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN moved a resolution to the effect
that the meeting desired to impress upon the Go-
vernment the policy of encouraging by every means
in their power the construction of light railways or
tramways throughout India in connection with the
trunk railways now approaching completion with
a view to develops the resources of India, and to
render the railways productive at as earlyas a period
as possible.

Mr. NORTCN, a director, seconded the motion.
In reply to a question, it was stated that the cost
per mile for a single line would be £3,500. The
Government provided the land, embankments, cul-
verts, and earthworks, which were equivalent to
one-fourth of the cost, They would also give a
subvention in money and every facility, but they
wished to avoid granting a guarantee on the
capital.

The motion was carried unanimously, and the
proceedings terminated.

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER, Dec. 30.—The yarn market has
been very firm, and a fair business is reported. It
is thought we should have had much greater acti
vity, and at extreme prices, but for the weakness
exhibited by the Liverpool cotton-market. Yester-
day there was an exceedingly large business in that
market; 20,000 bales sold at advancing prices, and
many buyers of yarns came hero to-day prepired to
operate, but were checked by the early telegram on
the Exchange from Liverpool stating that the cot-

,on-market was pausing, and that the sales would
probably only exceed 6,000 Lies. There was a
very general inquiry to-day for yarns, including
buyers for China, India, Germany, and the Mediter-
ranean. The home trade were also among the
buyers, and the classes of yarns taken by this
branch of the trade were decidedly dearer, some of
our spinners asking for the finer counts as much as
ld. to 2d. per lb. more than last week's prices.
Although the market was checked, there is more
doing than for some time past, and many spinners
have sold out their stocks, though unable to get
prices which will induce. them to take contracts.
In cloths we have had less business doing decidedly,
and this is also attributed to the fiat cotton-market,
for, while manufacturers are asking an advance
proportioned to the increased cost of cotton, there
has been wanting the spur which was most likely
to urge on buyers. Buyers, indeed, seem less dis-
posed to respcnd to the upward tendency of the
market than they were last week. Sill, there
seems to be a firm conviction in the market that
pi ices will go higher, and, not only are manufac-
turers firm, but hoMers on speculation appear to
have gained confidence. Some of the latter are
asking unheard-of prices. What little business has
taken place has been in small quantities, and for
such orders (mostly given by buyers who have
urgent necessities) higher rateshave had to be given.
It will be seen by Mr. Farnall's report this week
to the committee of the Relief Fund that there is a
further falling off in the number of the persons
receiving relief in the district to the extent of over
5,000. It has been stated in previous reports of
this market that this was likely to be the case, in-
asmuch as contracts have been entered into during
the last three or four weeks enabling manufacturers
to re-open their mills. In the monthly trade cir-
cular uf wressrs. John Fender and Co., of Saturday,
this is confirmed ;--- " The demand for goods (during
the month has been chiefly r those sorts used in
the home trade, or by calico printers, qnd for
these goods purchases have not only been
made from old stocks, but contracts to make have
been placed to a moderate extent." There is no
confidence hare that this improvement in the
position of the working-classes will be long
maintained, but if it is only a temporary relief it
is one which will be regarded with much satisfac-
tion. In their report of this day's cloth market
Messrs. John Slagg and Co. report :—" Owing to
the large business done in the cotton market, and

to the gradual rise in prices, both of cotton and
yarns, manufacturers are to-day asking a further
advance in all descriptions of goods ; but, Po far,
buyers have not responded to the advance, and the
business of the day has consequently been on the
most limited scale,"

LEEDS, Dec. 30.—For a Tuesday's market, and
that the closing market of the year, there was a to-
lerably good attendance of both buyers and sellers
in the cloth halls to-day, but the actual sales were
of a restricted character. A few light goods for
spring, and some small parcels of ordinary cloths,
were almost all that changed herds. At present
the foreign as well as the home trade is rather quiet,
but there is a fair amount of business doing for
Canada and America, the season of the year and the
internecine war considered. The noh-arrival ad-
vices this month from Melbourne has not been
favourable for the export of goods to our Austra-
lian colonies. The wool and the cloth market are
both firm as to prices, and both are in a fair,
healthy state.

NEWPORT (MONMOUTHSHIRE), Dec. 29.—The
iron trade evinces increased activity since the pre-
liminary meeting of the ironmasters. There is no
change as yet to report as regards employment at
the works. Considerable improvement is, however,
expected to take place shortly. The following are
the average quotations at the works :—Rails, £5
12s. 6d. to £5 152. ; merchant bars, .C 5 15s. The
coal:trade generally is in an active state, and the
different collieries are fairly employed. House and
gas coals command a good inquiry, and there is
also a fair demand for steam coals. There is no
alteration to report in prices. The tin trade gives
slight indications of improvement. The Pontvmoile
tin works will shortly be in full work.
ROCHDALE, Dec. 29.—There was a rather small
attendance of buyers in the flannel market to-day,
and there was a falling off in the demand for fancy
goods. Common flannels sold well, as also did
Yorkshire good, especially linseys and blue unions.
So great has been the demand for these goods that
stocks are quite exhausted. So extensive to. demand,
coupled with the high price of cotton warps, has
caused prices to advance considerably. Wools keep
very firm in price, but manufacturers are not buy-
ing very aetively at present.

HEALTH OF LONDON.

The returns issued by the Registrar-General ex-
hibit a further decrease on the high mortality of
November. In the week that ended on Saturday
the number of deaths was 1,292. The average num-
ber for corresponding weeks in the ten years 1852-
61, with a correction for increase of population, is
1,560. The deaths last week were fewer by 268
than they would have been if the average rate of
mortality had ruled. The births in the week ex-
ceeded the deaths in the same period by 318.
Twenty-eight cases were recorded in which small-
pox was fatal. Eleven of these occurred in the
Smallpox Hospital. Measles was fatal in 61 cases,
24 of which were in the districts on the south side
of the river. There were 4 in the Belgrave sub-
district, and 9 in Islington. There were 77
deaths from scarlatina, 4 of which were in the
sub-district of St. Mary, Paddington, 8 in Isling-
ton, 6in Hackney, and 4in Peckham. Diphtheria
was returned in 18 cases. Both phthisis and bron-
chitis show a decrease on the results of previous
weeks. Six persons aged ninety years and up-
wards died in the week. A widow died at the age
of 98 years ; and another is stated to have arrived
at the age of 100 years, and to have been born a
fortnight before George IV. A woman died of
abscess in the hand caused by the scratch of a cat.
A man of erysipelas from punctured wound of the
thumb. A woman was suffocated by swallowing a
false tooth and metallic plate, which lodged in her
windpipe. Last week the births of 829 boys and
781 girls, in all 1,610 children, were registered in
London. In the teu corresponding weeks of the
years 1852 .61 the average number (corrected) was
1,861.

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 30.094 in.
The mean daily reading was above 30 in. on the last
four days. The barometrical reading was 29.53 in.
on Sunday ; it rose to 30.33 in. on Christmas-day.
The mean temperature of the air in the week was
42.2 deg., which is 5 deg. above the "average of the
same week in 43 years (as determined by Mr.
Glaisher). The mean daily temperature was above
the average on every day except Monday; and on
the last three days this excess was as much as from
8 degs. to nearly 11 degs. The lowest night tem-
perature was 33.4 deg. on Monday. The highest
day temperature was 50 deg. on Thursday and
Friday. The range of the temperature in the week
was therefore 16,6 deg. The mean daily range was
8.2 deg. The range on Sunday and Friday was only
5 deg. The difference between the mean dew-point
temperature and air temperature was 3.6 deg. The
mean degree of humidity of the air was 88, com-
plete saturation being represented by 100, which
point was attained on Tuesday, and nearly reached
on Wednesday and Saturday. The wind blew from
the north on the first two days; afterwards from
the south-west and west. On Sunday the maxi-
mum pressure of the wind was 151bs. to the square
foot. The gale lulled at four o'clock on the morn-
ing of Monday. The whole amount of rain did
not exceed 0.08 in. The mean of the highest tem-
peratures of the water of the Thames was 42.2
deg.; that of the lowest was 39.4 deg.
Kensington : St. Paul's, Haaamersmith—At 8,
Lilly-terrace, on the 19th December, the wife of a
chemist, aged 51 years, " from absorption of puru-
lent virus into the system, producing general blood
poison in consequence of an abscess in the hand
occasioned by a scratch from a cat." Not certified.

St. George, Hanover-square: Belgrave—At 47,
Dorset-mews, on 22d December, a coachman (do-
mestic servant), aged 60 years, " erysipelas and
blood poison from a punctured wound of the thumb
with an awl."

Mile-end Old Town : Eastern—At 3, Caroline-
place, on 16th December, a female domestic servant,
aged 56 years, " violent death, swallowed a false
tooth and metallic plate, which lodging in the upper
part of the windpipe caused suffocation." (Inquest.)
St. Saviour: St. Saviour—At 17, Little Guild-
ford-street, on 19th December, the widow of a hair-
dresser, aged 100 years, " natural decay." This
woman was born a fortnight before King George
the Fourth.