The Sun.
London, England, 1838-02-13 00:00:00

SHEFFIELD, ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE,
AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY.
REPORT of the DIRECTORS to the SHAREHOLDERS
in the above undertaking, submitted to a General Meeting of the
Proprietors at the Albion Hotel, in Manchester, on the 7th of
February, 1838:
WILLIAM SIDEBOTTOM, Esq., in the Chair.
The Directors of this undertaking, in meeting the Shareholders
for the first time since their appointment in October last, have now
to state their proceedings at that interval. The first step taken
was to appoint a Chairman and a Deputy Chairman, according to
the provisions of the Act of Incorporation : and at a meeting of the
Directors, held at Penistone, on the 3d November last, the Right
Hon. Lord Wharncliffe, at the unanimous request of the Directors,
consented to undertake the office of Chairman, and William Side-
tottom, Esq., that of Deputy Chairman in like manner.
Some doubts having been expressed, at the last general meeting,
upon the accuracy of the estimate of traffic which had been sub-
mitted to the Committees of the two Houses of Parliament
previous to the passing of the Act, and it appearing to the Direc-
tors that the abandonment of the branch to Ashton-under-Lyne and
Stalybridge must necessarily reduce the traffic to some extent, the
Directors thought it their duty to lose no time in making a strict
inquiry into the effect that circumstance would produce, and gene-
rally into every item of that estimate. The result of that inquiry
' is, that although certain deductions must be made from the pre-
vious amount of the estimate, principally in consequence of the
' abandonment of the branch, the Committee speak with confidence
of the prospect of a net profit of nearly 17 per cent. upon the pro-
posed capital of 700,0001.
Committees were at the same meeting appointed to wait upon the
landowners along the line, and other parties interested, in order to
procure their co-operation and support in the appropriation of the
reserved shares.
The exertions of the gentlemen who compose these Committees
have been already successful to a considerable extent, and many of
those shares have been taken up. Misconceptions also with regard
to the merits and advantages of the proposed Railway, which
had previously existed, have been removed by explanation ; and the
Directors believe that they are not too sanguine when they confi-
dently say that they rely upon the growing support of public opi-
nion to secure the taking up of the remaining unappropriated shares
, in this highly-important and useful undertaking.
It is of essential importance that if these hopes of support prove
to be well founded, no further time should be lost in completing the
working surveys, and the setting out of the line of the railway dur-
ing the current half-year (being the most favourable season), the
expense attending which will not be large, and will call for only a
part of the funds in hand.
In all their proceedings the Directors are anxious, whilst pro-
moting the interest of the undertaking, to pay a just regard to the
individual convenience of the shareholders, most of whom have
their capital embarked in the commerce and manufacture of the
district connected with the proposed railway, or are landowners on
its line. They venture to hope that the Shareholders will have
sufficient confidence in their judgment and character to believe that
they will not adopt any hasty or incoesiderate measures ; and they
also hope that the difficulties which have for some time existed in
the commercial and manufacturing concerns of that district will
have entirely disappeared before any call upon the Shareholders for
money may be necessary.
Milted by Mr. CORNELIUS RANDALL, seconded by Mr. THOMAS
WORSLET—
That the Report now read be received and approved, and that the
same be printed and circulated amongst the Shareholders, and ad-
vertised in such of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Liverpool papers
as the Directors shall think proper.
Moved by Mr. JOHN CHAPMAN, seconded by Mr. JOHN
WADDINGTON—
That the accounts produced up to the 31st December last be
now passed and confirmed.
Moved by Mr. YEOMAN, seconded by Mr. ROVILLE—
That the thanks of this Meeting be given to the Directors for
their valuable services to the undertaking.
Moved by Mr. BUTCHER, seconded by Mr. GREEN—
That the cordial thanks of this Meeting be given to Wm. Side-
bottom, Esq., for his able and impartial conduct in the Chair.

BIRMINGHAM AND GLOUCESTER
RAILWAY.
CONTRACT FOR RAILS, CHAIRS, and FASTENINGS.
The Directors of the Birmingam and Gloucester Railway are
ready to receive TENDERS for the Supply of WROUGHT-
IRON RAILS and CAST-IRON CHAIRS, together with the
necessary Fastenings, to the total extent of 650iTons of Rails, to be
delivered at the undermentioned places and dates, either in total,
or portions to be delirered as follows:
Plate of Delivery. I For. Weight. Time,
Tons. on or before.