The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-01 00:00:00

LON DON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 1, 1853.

there must always be a competition, but if they
worked in friendly alliance with the London and North-
Western there would be an end to it. The honourable
gentlemen explained that although a fixed dividend of 4
per cent. was not nained in the North-Western bill now
before Parliament, he had received and now read a lei-
ter from Mr. Stewart, tli4. secretary to the board of di-
rectors, in which that gentleman said that the North-
Wesiern Company were fully prepared to carry out the
terms which they proposed' on the 18th of September.
In conclusion lie (Mr. Geach) expressed a hope that the
board of directors would not. enter into any fresh agree-
ment without first obtaining the sanction of the share-
holders. 'He (Mr. Geach) stood there as an indepen-
dent shareholder,- and he cauld assure them that in the
litigation 'in which he and they had been engaged on
farther occasions,' lie had discharged a painful duty.. He
seconded the resolutions moved by Mr. Scott.
In answer to questions by Mr. Norris, the CHAIRMAN.
stated- that the directors had not received officially
any offers from the Londoit and North-Western Com-
pany Whereupon 'Mr. Norris said they were -thee
discussing 'a shadow, and contended that, whatevth•
might be• their decision that day, they would not,
in the . slightest degree, change their legal engage-
ments with•the Great Western Company. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. SCOTT, in allusion to what had fallen from Mr.
Geach, begged to express his firm conviction that, under
thepresidency of Mr. Clive, neurther arrangement would
be made with the Great 'Western, the North-Western,
or any other company, without the consent and sanc-
tion of the shareholders. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN said, although generally concurring in
what Mr Scott had said, ho must be allowed to say that
there were occasions when, under peculiar circumstances,
chairman and directors were bound in duty to adopt
a course - which on other or ',ris they might disapprove

£735,692 12,868
A vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, and the
meeting broke up.

NEW YORK ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC

A bill for the incorporation of the New York
Atlantic and Pacific Railway Company is before the
State Legislature. The company proposes to construct
a railroad from the MissisSippi Valley or from the Gulf
of Mexico to San Francisco, or some other available
point on the Pacific Ocean, reserving also to the com-
pany the right of a branch to Oregon. After making
the necessary provisions for the survey of the route,
the bill provides that the company shall finish a
single line to the Pacific in five years, and for a
line also of magnetic telegraph. The capital stock
is fixed at $100,000,000, in shares of $l,OOO each.
The maximum charge for passengers is limited,
to 4c. per mile, and to 4c. for, 2,000 pounds, or
one ton per mile for freight, other than metals, or
live stock, or animals. These, omitting the details of
organisation, are the prominent features of the bill. It
would be a work of supererogation to recapitulate
the advantages which would accrue to the country
and the Government from a rail across the breast of
the continent to the Pacific. These Advantages are'
manifest. It would bind. the Atlantic and Pacific
slopes of the Union firmly together ; it would settle
and develope the resources of those vast uninhabited
wastes between they 11flssi4sippi and the Pacific ; it
would reduce the cost of the trip to San Francisco
from $5OO to $lOO, or less ; it would indemnify the Go-
vernment for any outlay, and it would riltiniately pay
the cost of construction in the article of gold alone ; it
would bring, with steam lines to China and Australia,
the illimitable riches of Asia and its monstrous cordon of
golden islands, via San Francisco, to Ne'w ,York ; it
would.reduce the trip from Canton to New York to 30
days. The European route to China would be by this,
port, and by the Pacific Railroad and the Pacific Ocean.
It would make New York and San Francisco (as they
must ultimately be) the queen cities of the earth. In-
deed, though we .may anne'x' all Mexico and Central
America, and open all their lines of oceanic inter-com-
munication, the necessities arid advantage's of the Pacific
Railroad'ivill be scarcely diminished.

RAILWAY AMALGAMAY=4, IRELANDi---The-Derlin
Freeman's Journal contains the following :—" Negotia-
tions having been going on for some time past, and are
now, we beliwie, practically brought to a result, for a
transfer of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway to Mr.
-Daresn- and IVremars. Mit'oil-dick, Brassy, and-Poto, on of the Dublin and Bray, and Dublin and Wick-
low Railways, in both which the first-named gentleman,
who has taken the chief part in the matter, has a para-
mount interest."

RAILWAY CALLS.—The total amount called in the first
two months of 1853 is 1,785,400/. against 1,131,7891.
in the same period last year, and 1,115,1471. in 1851.
This increased demand on the market, however, is more
apparent than real, as a very large proportion of the
calls is on foreign lines, in many of which the English
interest is but small.
RAILWAY DlVlDENDS.—Summarising the railway
dividends of the week, the Railway Times mentions that
the East Lancashire is to pay 3 per cent. per annum,
reserving, however, only 8701. to next account. The
North Staffordshire distributes 38. per share (171. 10s.),
retaining on hand 2,415/. The Cockermouth and Work-
kington is in a position to pay 4s. per share (201.), but
leaving only 381. 6s. 4d. in reserve. The Dublin and
Belfast Junction is to pay 1/. per share (451. paid), equal
to 4i per cent. within a fraction (4/. 95.), the balance
being also remarkably good—viz., 4,000/.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.
LONDON AND SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY. Traffie re-
turn for the week ending Jan. 29, 1853 £12,841 8 2
Corresponding week last year 10,823 19 11

Increase in 1853 £2,017 8 3
LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.—
Traffic return for the week ending Jan. 29,
1853 £9,128 11 4
Corresponding week last year. 7,728 9 10
Total of the half-year to this date, 1853. 44,993 8 5
Total of the half-year to this date, 1852 38,762 2 4

CAUTION TO ENGINE DRIVERS. Yesterday, at the
West Riding Police-court, at Doncaster, Edward Mann,
engine-driveran employed on the Great Northern Rail-
way as brought before Mr. J. W. Sturges and Mr.
G. J. Jarratt, for being drunk and neglecting his duty,
whereby an engine under his charge had been driven
off the rails into a lime pit at Knottingley. Mr.
Dudley Baxter, of the firm of Baxter and Co., soli-
citors to the Great Northern Company, appeared to
support the charge on their behalf. B e pointed out,
that, by the 3d and 4th Vict. cap. 97, the defendant
was liable to a penalty of 101., or a term of imprison-
ment not exceeding two calendar months, with hard
labour. From the examination of Mr. James Johnson,
superintendent of the locomotive department at Don-
caster, George Murray, stoker to the defendant, and
Andrew Wright, an engine driver, it appeared that it
was the duty of the defendant to take charge of the
Leeds portion of the train leaving Doncaster at 7.5 a.m.
On Friday last the
.defendant had charge of an engine
at Knottingley sttionl and was to await the arrival of
his train at that junction. 11e contrived to get a four-
gallon barrel of ale on the engine, from which he freely
drink until he became intoxicated. • About half-past
two o'clock the defendant drove from the Knottingley
junction to a temporary siding in the vicinity of some
lime quarries, into one of which the engine was driven,
both the driver and the fireman escaping unhurt. Wright,
Child, and Murray, servants of thF Great N
Company, assisted, but it was found nnpossible to exorthern
tri-
cate the engine. The fireman to the defendant warned
him of the danger of driving upon a temporary siding
newly constructed, but ho took no heed. The defendant
said he was going to see the stoker who was hurt at the
late accident at Womersley, and that the barrel of ale
had been given to him to convey there. We understand
the ale was sold to the defendant, but unfortunately the
landlord died on Sunday, so that he could not be called.
Mr. Sturges said the bench were quite satisfied that the
defendant had most grossly misconducted himself, and it
was fortunate that no lives had been sacrificed ; it was
equally fortunate that the engine had not been totally
destroyed. He considered the defendant quite unfit to
have the care of passengers, and for this offence he
should order him to be imprisoned in the Wakefield
House of Correction for two calendar months, With hard
labour.

a plain granite
MONUMENT TO CHANTREY.—The vicar of Norton, in
Derbyshire, is raising a subscription for the purpose
Y, and in te
of erecting, in the village of Norton,
obelisk to the memory of Sir Francis Chantrey.
Nortonehurey
churchyard
s h thee
was birth-placeberied in oaf
gCrahvaen ter ef
big
Own
m
th-
ing. A prettier village than Norton is hardly to be
seen in the whole of Derbyshire. Chantrey Was
proud
of his native place, and proud as well of his humble
origin. His grave is marked by two enormous flat
stones, surrounded by an iron railing, and in the church
is a tablet to his memory, with a medallion portrait by
Weekcs, after Smith, erected at the expense of Lady
Chautrey. The vicar, however, is of opinion that some-
thing more is wanting ; and an obelisk, with a suitable
inscription, will, he thinks, if placed within sight of the
church,village.
THE NEW BILLINGSGATE MARKET.—The facade of read a useful lesson to the boys and girls of the
the new building facing Thames-street having been
completed, the whole of the scaffolding has now been
removed, and the improvements show to good advan-
tage. The market will now be well lighted with gas,
and there is a central avenue with passages leading in.
various directions for the greater convenience of trade,
and altogether the improvements effected will be fully
in keeping with the requirements of this celebrated fish
market.

THE VOTE BY BALLOT.

At a crowded and enthusiastic meeting of Reformers,
held on Thursday, at Swansea, in fivour of the ballot,
Mr. H. H. Vivian, M.P. for Truro, delivered the fol-
lowing able speech in support of the right of the con-
stituencies to the privilege of e±ercising the franchise in
secret :

Mr. H. H. VIVIAN, then came forward, and
remarked that he appeared 'before the meeting in rather
an anomalous position, because he would seem to them as
though he were a petitioner to himself. The object of the
meeting was to petition the House of Commons in favour
of the adoption of vote by ballot. Now, being himself a
member of the House of Commons, it was somewhat
anomalous that he should present himself before them.
He would therefore state that he did not take part in
the'ineeting in the character of a petitioner, but that lie
attended at the. request of the gentlemen concerned in
convening the meeting. He attended by the expressed
desire of; those who' were desirous that the attention of
the country,generally should be aroused to the impor-
tance of this question. The moment he received an in-
timation that hie presence was desired, he did not hesi-
tate. (Cheers.) And he would tell tuem that he felt.
very strongly in reference to this question. It had been
stated that. opinions formed late in life, if they allowed
him to use that expression in reference to himself—(a
laugh)—what lie meant was, that mature opinions,
forined from growing conviction,' had often a stronger
hold upon the mind than Lthoso in which a person had
been born and brought up. He could not exactly say
that he had not been brought up to believe in the ballot;
but'he admitted that he had not, under a certain period,
turned hiivattention to the subject, and therefore, he had
no strop the - 'he mo-
any-
of
-oter,
is be-
not,

;nee
the
had
that
iast
teral
and

for the county. From a very
kindly feeling on the part of numerous friends, it was in-
mated to him that it was thought desirable that the
battle should be fought in his person. His feeling
was against disturbing the peace of the county unless he
believed there existed a fair prospect of success. With the
view of ascertaining this, his friends and himself spent
nearly a month in analysing the state of the register.
He found that the most convenient plan was to
arrange all the voters under certain sections, show-
ing what influences they were subject to. The
question was not—" How does this man think ?
What are his convictions on political subjects ?"
Nothing of the kind. The first question--" Whose tenant
is the man ? Whom does he work under ?" (Hear.) It
was foundkhat he was a tenant under my Lord So-
and-so, or Mr. This-or-that, or that he was employed
by Sir This-or-that, or Mr. So-and-se, who had a cer-
tain number of men employed at their establishments.
Thus the electors were arranged—in fact regularly
scheduled—under certain influences, by which, as he
was informed, it could be pretty well predicted how
they would have voted in case of a contest. He (Mr.
H. Vivian) thought it a very absurd thing that a few
gentlemen should meet in a hall, and by comparing
among each other, lists of influences, decide how the
election was to go. If there, happened to be a small
remnant of independent men they would soon be
swamped by such means as this. Thus the con-
stituency was practically reduced from hundreds to
tens. In reference to the county election he had,
therefore; arrived at the conclusion, that if they
wanted to i spend a few thousands, it would be
better ,to devote it to ,any. other purpose—to erect
schools, build a monument, or anything else—ra-
ther than in beer-drinking and the purchase of
flags. After some further observations, Mr. Vivian
alluded to' those voters employed' in their copper works.
Their electoral privileges had never been interfered with.
None of the agents or workmen were asked how they
meant to vote. In illustration of the necessity for the
.ballot, he would refer to another epoch in his life. His
previous experience had given him an idea that he should.
like' to be in Parliainent. So he told his friends that he
would be obliged by their informing him, if they met
with anything which they thought would suit him.
(A. laugh.) In the course of time several things
were offered to him. (Loud laughter.) Amongst these
was St. Ives. It was a constituency labouring under
thraldrom.- 'Among them were 'a great many very
jolly fellows. He (Mr. Vivian) had been invited to en-
deavour to extricate them out of their difficulties. He
had an interview with the leader of the Reform Asso-
ciation, who certainly depicted matters in very.
'glowing and- fsliOtirable • terms. This visit formed a
little era in his life. It had given him a little practice
in appearing before the public meetings. Prior to that
lie had felt somewhat nervous. (A laugh.) He felt as
he had the other day, when attempting to address the
House of Commons, the blush rushing to the head, as
though he were going to have a fit of apoplexy—
(laughter)—as a medical man would say—the pulse beat-
ing at about 150 degrees. His later experience at St.
Ives enabled him to get over such matters. Down be
went to this horough, which had been most severely
contested at the various elections taking place during the
last 30 or 40 years. These contests did not involve any
principles, bnt they were personal contests, and therefore
conducted in a more acrimonious spirit. Both the candi-
dates were Conservatives. Prior to the Reform Bill the
town existed as a distinct borough within itself uncon-
nected with any portion of the adjoining rural district.
However, the Reform Bill added the rural district to
the borough, and this portion of country was principally
in the hands of two parties. One was a large landed
proprietor, and the other was possessed of extensive
mines. A time arrived when both wanted a seat in Par-
liament. Then, in addition to the retainers of these gen-
tlemen, was the town party—who were enabled to turn
the scale either way as between the other two parties.
A large number of the voters were not ten pound house-
holders, but they derived their franchise from an ancient
right or custom. This last mentioned class of voters
were very uncertain—(a laugh)—that is (hesitatingly)
they were open to conviction. (Much laughter.) At
the period he canvassed them he found that a portion of
the electors had been turned out of this mine for dis-
obedience at former elections, and their condition was
very miserable. They often had to travel 20 or 30 miles
for work, Such being their circumstances they were
in a good state of discipline. (Laughter.) He found
that in one of these districts the name of one gentle-
man was invariably referred to, while in the other that
of the second gentleman was predominant. In the
agricultural districts few or none of the tenants held
leases. They were tenants from year to year. They
were, therefore, in a most perfect state of discipline.—
(Hear, hear, and laughter.) There was, in addition, a
body of independent men who voted as they liked, but
they were insufficient in number to carry the election.
Well, after proceeding some time with the canvass, he
(Mr. Vivian) told them that it would be very absurd to
go on, as it would be better to devote the time, labour,
and money, to some other purpose. However, the ex-
perience he had gained during that epoch of his life had
been of great service to him. It was not often so favour-
able a chance presented itself. The people in this
borough never thought of such a thing as voting against
their masters. Such an idea had never occurred to them.
All these circumstances greatly served to strengthen his
conviction in favour of the ballot. (Cheers.) Although
he did not do the thing well in speech making, yet
he would be glad to 'attend on all occasions, and give
every assistance in his power in supporting the cause of
the ballot. (Hear, hear.) He had become sincerely
convinced that the House of Commons, as it is at pre-
sent formed, did not represent the independent consti-
tuency of this country. Many men who were fully con-
versant with the misdeeds to which he had called their
attention, were notwithstanding of opinion that, on the
whole, the present system worked satisfactorily. One
favourite argument by them was that all great measures
in which the people generally had taken an interest had
been carried under the present system. True, but they
were carried by means which it would be very desirable
to avoid. They were carried by a general convulsion of
society—(hear, hear)—by constant and vigorous agita-
tion, and by a great pressure of public feeling brought
to bear upon the upper classes. (Hear, hear.) He
(Mr. Vivian) did not believe that such long continued
agitation would have been necessary bad the ballot been
the law of the land. (Hear.) Had the constituency been
enabled to record their opinions honestly in favour or
against certain measures it would have been unneces-
sary to adopt other measures. They remember the
period when the Reform Bill was in agitation. The
whole country was in a state of the greatest agitation
and turmoil. In point of fact all business had been sus-
pended. Carried it eventually was, but under the old
system of voting it could never have been carried without
the agitation. Had the ballot been law, members would
be elected who would have anticipated public opinion,
and of themselves carried out these necessary measures
of reform. Again, let them look at the repeal of the corn
laws. He (Mr. Vivian) thought that important event
had been brought about by a combination of the most
fortuitous circumstances in the world. He admitted that
at some period the question must have been carried,
under any circumstances. He (Mr. Vivian) was at the
time in communication with several friends, members of
Parliament, and it was a great question at the time whe-
ther Sir Robert Peel, with all his influence, and with
the powerful assistance rendered him by the Liberal
party, could carry the measure. And no doubt they re-
membered that that great statesman himself was in a
most fearful agitation at the time, having been bled,
cupped, &c. It was, after all, a surprising thing that the
measure was carried. Now, had the ballot been in opera-
tion, and had the House of Commons been a fair reflex of
the constituency, the measure would have been carried
as soon as the country had been fairly convinced of its
expediency, without all this excitement and agitation.
They did not know so much of the effect and influence
of coercion in a populous district like Swansea ;
but when they came to a small agricultural town, where

disc -- --, ~,,,nueu ms attention to tne subject, and therefore, he had
a course which on other occasions they might pprove no strong opinions one way or the other. But the mo- I
of. (Hear.)
ment he touched an election—the moment he had any- a
Mr. KNox explained that the directors were about to thing practically to do with it—he became convinced of t
renew an agreement with tha Duke of Bridgewater's the necessity of adopting the protection to the voter, ti
trustees, but it would not interfere with any other ar- afforded by the ballot. (Hear, hear.) He had thus be- NI
rangement, supposing the could be thrown overboard come a stanch and decided advocate
to 4,11 i ballot, 0'
by.the Great Western., -" 4",,, and he believed he would so,
_continue afLl7--ig as il, u .After - aleprt comtrsatiofi; the Chairman put -lived.--ATlFast 'some very strong -argument must be n'
the origirliott mo-tion and amenklment to a show of hands, adduced to convince him to the contrary. FRerience m
when the latter was carried by a large majority. had taught him that Parliament was not a reflex of the v,
The directors declined to demand a poll ; but, upon opinions of the constituency. His first experience had ho
an application from Mr. Gea,ch, the following was stated been gained in connexion with the constituency of that wl
to be the result of the proxies received : county. The meeting was aware that prior to the last lie
Value. Votes. general election a strong feeling prevailed, and a general ch
For Mr. Scott's amendment £625,664 10,435 opinion was expressed in favour of starting a liberal and WC
For the Chairman's original resolution 110,028 2,433 free trade candidate for the county. From a very OU