The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-22 00:00:00

not this company should support that lint; but whe-
ther it should permit the line to be made by parties
who had hostile interests. After the terms of agree-
ment had been come to the union with the West
Midland was decided on, and then it was found that
that company had been supporting a line from Bur-
ton-on-the-Waters to Cheltenham. The matter was
fully considered, and the conclusion that had been
come to was that it would be most economical and
more advantageous if the two proposed undertakings
were fused into one common line to Andoversford,
a little distance this side of Cheltenham, and thence
to run two lines, one towards Faringdon, and the
I other towards Bourton-on-the-Waters, which would
form an admirable outlet for traffic flowing from
Cheltenham and the west to the midland counties of
England. The united companies agreed tc support
such a scheme provided they could be certain that
the expenses of the undertaking would be limited
to a certain amount, and an agreement to that effect
had been entered into. The directors were not un-
mindful of the objections against further extensions
and further outlay, but the relative advantages and
disadvantages in this instance had been most care-
fully weighed. The total amount of railway to be
constructed would be about 40 miles, and he believed
it would not only pay its expenses, but be very re-
munerative. Between Andoversford and Faring-
don there would be a considerable amount of local
traffic, and, although there might be a possible loss
upon that line, yet it must be remembered that if
they had not supported the line other persons
would have made it, and would have substracted
from the Great Western line six or seven times the
amount of possible loss. (Hear, hear.) The formation
of the proposed line would shorten the distance be-
tween Cheltenham and London 24 or 25 miles. He
would next advert to the paragraph of the report
which referred to an outlay for an extension from
the Bristol station at Temple-mead to Clifton, and
that scheme had also been pressed upon the direc-
tors by those locally interested. There was no
doubt of the value of the undertaking if it were car-
ried out with the consent of all those who were
interested in the commerce of Bristol. Upon this
point he wished to correct some misrepresen-
tations that had been made. The Board had always
been anxious to support such a scheme, because
they thought it was a sound undertaking, but they
had always been of opinion that it should be done
in such a manner as would meet the views not only
of the traders and merchants of Bristol, but also of
the several railway companies having termini at
that place. They had never sought to act singly,
but had been desirous to co-operate with the other
companies in carrying out a scheme which should
be acceptable to all parties, and he thought from
what he had heard that there was now a prospect
of carrying out a scheme that would be mutually
acceptable. In connexion with that paragraph of
the report which referred to bills before Parliament
affecting the interests of this company, he could not
avoid alluding to the position of this company to-
wards the London and North-Western Company.
The proprietors would join with the directors in
regretting that their recent alliance with the West
Midland Company should have formed a ground for
the encouragement by the London and North
Western Company of several schemes of a hostile
character towards the Great Western Company.
The alliance with the West Midland was a most
natural one, and must have been long foreseen. The
West Midland line was but the prolongation of the
old Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Rail-
way, which was supported and fostered by the Great
Western, and therefore it was surprising that the
union between the two companies should be re-
garded as a ground of complaint on the part of
the London and North-Western Company. The
directors had always been anxious to preserve a good
understanding with their neighbours, and therefore
they regretted the course that had been adopted by
the London and South-Western Company. Without
entering upon a discussion of the questions between
the two companies, he felt bound to defend himself
and his brother directors from the charge of having
declared war against the London and South Western
Company. (Hear.) It was true that they had en-
tered into an agreement with the Andover and Red-
bridge Company,but that line had been sanctioned
by Parliament as a broad gauge line, and was ob-
viously intended to connect itself at some time with
the broad gauge system, The agreement with that
company did not imply hostility towards the Lon-
don and South Western Company, but, even if it
did so, the directors had offered the utmost modi-
fication in their power by suggesting to allow the
South Western Company to make arrangements
with the Andover and Redbridge Company, pro-
vided the intentions of Parliament were not frus-
trated, and that the traffic of the Great Western
line to Southampton should be put upon a certain
and secure footing. They also offered to submit all
points of difference to arbitration, and therefore he
thought the shareholders would be of opinion the
directors had not neglected the means of preserving
good relations with all neighbouring companies. In
conclusion, the noble chairman said he hoped the
statements he had made would be satisfactory, but
if further explanations were required he should be
quite ready to give them.
Lord BARRINGTON seconded the adoption of the
report. •
Mr. BRIDGES thought that, as two bills were be-
ing prosecuted by this company in direct antago•
nism to the South Western Company, there was no
reason to be surprised at the hostility of that com-
pany towards them. (Hear.)
The Rev. Mr. NICHOLSON defended the adoption
of the Andover and Redbridge line, and contended
that it was right that if the South Western line
went to Bristol this company should control it by
obtaining an access to Southampton.
Mr. ADAMS said, if one company went to South-
ampton they must not complain that the other
went to Bristol.
Mr. NORRIS, M.P., had come prepared to re-
monstrate against any further extension schemes,
but the lucid explanation of the noble chairman
had induced him to modify his opinion upon the
present occasion. He felt bound to yield a reluc-
tant consent to the new lines now proposed, not on
account of their intrinsic value, but as a matter of
protection for their own interests. He assented to
the extension at Bristol because it was needed by
the increasing commerce of that port, and because
it would be largely advantageous to the Great
Western Company.
After some observations from Mr. Malins, Mr.
Giles, and Mr. Taylor,
The motion for the adoption of the report was
agreed to unanimously.
The meeting was then made special, and resolu-
tions for converting the Chester and Birmingham
preference shares into stock, for enabling the direc-
tors to contribute £lO,OOO to the Wenlock Railway,
for making a working agreement with the Wycombe
Railway Company for their extension lines to Ox-
ford and Aylesbury, and also approving the deed of
arrangement and lease of the South Wales Rail-
way, were severally put and agreed to.
Mr. BRIDGES and the Rev. Mr. NICIIOLSON ex-
pressed their gratification at the conclusion of the
negotiation with the South Wales Company for
the satisfactory termination of which the share-
holders were much indebted to the exertions of the
chairman and the secretary, Mr. Saunders.
The proceedings closed with the usual compli-
ment to the noble chairman.

DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN.—Ann Dunning, a
widow, of Upper High-street, Taunton, has recently died
at the patriarchal age of 105. Up to the time of her death
the old lady was in full possession of her faculties, and was
frequently accustomed, until within a short time since, to
take active bodily exercise, sometimes walking many miles
in the course of a day.— Western Counties Herald.
An old four-horse stage-coach will ere long be less a
novelty than premature grey hair, which is fast disappearing
under the effects of Herring's Magnetic Brushes and Combs,
which recent improvements have rendered almost infallible
in restoring the colour to grey hair, and also in removing the
agony of tic doloreux and nervous headache. N.B.—Coun-
terfeits are being made. Offices, 32, Basinghail-street,
London.

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