The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-15 00:00:00

SHREWSBURY and BIRMINGHAM
RAILWAY,
12, Buckingham-street, Adelphi, London, September 14, 1853.
The Committee of Independent Shareholders have much pleasure
10 announcing the result of the meeting to-day.
Kr. Saunders, Secretary of the Great Western, appeared on be-
half of that Company. and declared his readiness to test the sin-
cerity of Mr. Geach and Mr. Scott. Mr. Saunders intimated that,
with a view to conciliate all parties, and to remove every obstacle
to a unanimous decision, his Company had authorised himself to
pledge themselves to an offer of three-and-a-half per cent. guaran-
teed dividend, with half surplus profits from the Ist ofJanuary,lBs4.
Both Mr. Geach and Mr. Scott, notwithstanding urgent calls from
many shareholders, who had intrusted these gentlemen with their
proxies, declined to accept the offer which had originated with them-
selves,* or to become bound by any vote of the meeting.
The proposal submitted on behalf of the Great Western Railway
Company was then put to the vote, and carried almost unani-
mously, amidst the loudest acclamations.
A poll was demanded by Mr. Collis, solicitor, Stourbridge, which
was immediately proceeded with.
The poll will remain open until the 19th inst., so that every share.
holder, whatever may nave been his previous opinions, is now
afforded an opportunity of personally registering his vote for or
against a guaranteed dividend, from the let of January next, of
three-and-a-half per cent., with half surplus profits.
Shareholders desirous of revoking proxies entrusted to Mr. Geach
and Mr. Scott are requested to send a letter to the Secretary of the
Company in accordance with the following form :
" beg to withdraw, and request that you will cancel my
proxy given in favour of Messrs. Geach and Scott for the Special
Meeting of the Company, holden on the 14th of September, 1853 ;
also, for the Extraordinary General Meeting convened to be holden
on the 21st September, being desirous of supporting the offer of the
Great Western Railway Company of Three-and-a-half per Cent.,
and half surplus profits.
Dated this day of September, 1853.
Signature—
"Thos. Hall, Secretary, Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway
Company, Wolverhampton."
By order,
GEORGE WOOLCOTT, Secretary.
* At a meeting of Shareholders of the Shrewsbury and Birming-
am Railway, Swan Hotel, Wolverhampton, Sept. 7, 1853, Alder-
Man Neve in the chair, read the following letter from Mr. Scott to
M r. Perks :

" Stourbridge, Sept. 6, 1853.

"Dear Sir—l beg to convey my concurrence in the views sug-
gested by you and some of your brother directors in your letter to
the Shareholders of the 29th of August ; and to thank you for this
expression of your experience and your judgment.
"'There are two points upon which I have always, both in public
and in private, insisted, and the maintenance of which I consider
essential to our interests.
" 1. That the present ruinous competition with the London and
North-Western Company be abandoned.
" 2. That our railway be not handed over toany other company,
except upon the terms of a clear unconditional dividend of four per
cent., or what may be considered as equivalent to four per cent ,
as, for instance, three and a half per cent., with half the surplus
profits. ROBERT SCOTT."