The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-07 00:00:00

SHREWSBURY AND HEREFORD.

- The ordinary half-yearly meeting of this company was
held at the Lion Hotel, Shrewsbury, on Saturday ; Mr.
Ormsby Gore, M.P., in the chair.
The report, of which the following is an abstract, was
read by the Secretary. It stated that the directors have
received from Mr. Brassey the rent for the six months
ending the 31st December last, after the rate of three
per cent. per annum on the share capital then called up,
interest on the borrowed money having been also de-
frayed by Mr. Brassey. The directors recommend that
a dividend for the past half-year at the rate of 3 per cent
per annum be declared, free of income-tax, and to be
payable on the 15th inst. Up to the time of opening the
line to Hereford, on the sth of December last, the re-
ceipts from the traffic on the line continued to increase
satisfactorily. Since that time the average receipt per
mile over the whole line has decreased, but the directors
believe that when the communication has been perfected
with the South Wales district, and the mineral and
other traffic been more fully developed, the expecta-
tions entertained respecting the line will not
be disappointed. A bill has been introduced into
Parliament to sanction the lease to Mr. Brassey, on the
terms already approved by the shareholders. Powers
gill also be sought from Parliament for the construction
and management of joint station at Hereford, with the
Hereford, Ross, and Gloucester Railway Company, and
also for the purchase of land required for additional sta-
tion accommodation at Shrewsbury and at Hereford,
and to authorise the conversion, at such time as may be
beneficial, of the borrowed money into share capital.
Subject to the settlement of details respecting rates and
tolls, the directors see no reason to object to the bills
for an alteration of Severn Valley Railway, and
for the construction of a railway from Leominster to
Kington.

_
From the statements on capital account, it appeared
that the total receipts up to the 31st of December,
1853, were 488,0671. ls. 4d., and the expenditure
452,8921. 16s. 7d. ; there is a balance in cash at
banker's of 9,2891. 18s. 2d.

The CHAIRMAN then reviewed and explained the prin-
cipal points of the report, and concluded by moving its
adoption.
In answer to the questions of a SHAREHOLDER,
Mr. ROBERTSON, the engineer, said the arrangement
was that all bridges over the line should be made for a
double line, and they were so ; as were also most of the
bridges over which the railway ran. He, however, asked
that the tunnel at Dinmore-hill might be made for a
single line, because be knew that at any time when re-
quired the tunnel could be made for a double line, at an
expense of 201. per yard.
A SHAREHOLDER—At the expense of the contractors ?
The CHAlRMAN—Certainly not.
Mr. ROBERTSON explained that the contract was for
a single tunnel, and that it was paid for as a single
tunnel, and that shareholders, were under a wrong im-
pression.
The subject here dropped, and reference was again
made to a want of supply of coals, owing to inadequate
accommodation at the Leominster and other stations on
the line. This was attributed to certain privileges en-
joyed by Mr. Brassy.
Mr. PERLE, solicitor to the company, read a clause
from the act, which gave every person the right to con-
vey coals along the line ; and Mr. Grounds, of the
Littleshall coalpits, said they were prepared to supply
any quantity to any person who might require them.
The CHAIRMAN expressed the determination of the
directors as far as possible to prevent any description of
monopoly.
The report was then adopted, and a vote of thanks
having been carried to the chairman, the meeting sepa-
rated.
RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.

LONDON AND SOUTH-EASTERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic re-
turn for the week ending Feb. 4, 1854 . £13,559 17 6
Corresponding week last year 11,768 9 11

Increase in 1854 £1,791 7 7
LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.
Traffic return for the week ending Feb. 4,
1854 _ • £9,849 3 9

Corresponding week last year 9;091 8- 4
Total of the half-year to this date, 1854 44,770 14 7
Total of the half-year to this date, 1853 44,113 14 1

DR. ELLIOTSON'S CHARITABLE CASE.-Mr. George
Nottage, who has taken such an active interest in the
distressing case of the two daughters of a member of an
old and eminent firm in the Icity, recently brought to
light through the benevolence of Dr. Elliotson, has
written a letter to the Times acknowledging the receipt
of donations amounting to more than 301., as well as the
purchase of more than 200 copies of the poems published
by the unfortnnnte ladies. Mr. Nottage says—" The
idea Dr. Elliotson and myself originally conceived was
to secure, if possible, a merely temporary relief for these
distressed and afflicted ladies, but that the munificent
liberality of the subscribers has all but made it perms.
nont.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—Feb. 6.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.

The court disposed of some cases in the new trial pa-
per, none of which presented any materials for a report.

PAYMENT OF SPECIAL JURIES-MR. C. DICKENS.

The record having been withdrawn in the first case
on the list, Lord Campbell said he thought the gentle-
men who had been summoned on the jury ought to be
paid the fees allowed by law, as it was not fair to send
them away at the last moment without payment,
Amongst the names of the gentlemen who had been
summoned was that of Mr. Chas. Dickens, who did not
answer.

Lord Campbell said that if Mr. Dickens' great Chan-
cery suit had been still going on, he certainly should have
excused him, but as it was he thought Mr. Dick ens might
have done them the honour of attending, to see how they
got on at common law.