The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-27 00:00:00

FU NESS.

On Thursday the half-yearlY general meeti n g of th e share-
holders was held at their offices, 12, New-street, Spring-
gardens • the Earl of Burlington in the chair. After
the usual preliminaries had been disposed of,
Mr. J. IZut6DEN, the secretary, read the report, of
which the fo'lowing is an abstract :
" The state of the revenue accounts enabled the directors
to recommend a dividend at the rate of five per cent. per
a, num on the ordinary share capital, leaving a considerable
balance. In consequence of the increase of traffic they
had thought it necessary to give directions for laying
down a second line of rails from the Salthouse Junction to
Ba'"nw, and to order additional working stock, &o. This
expen, dture had rendered it necessary that the sum of
should beimmediately provided,
15,000 . authorised to be raised under the act of last session,
amount of capital and they proposed that that
should be offered to the shareholders in
proporticn t) the shares now held by them. They had,
be sufficient to disobey
however, recently discovered that the 15,000 e. would not
reps red, the liabilities and provide the
tuds "" aids therefore, given directios for

an application to Parliament to raise an additional sum of I
50,000/. Part of it only would be required, and if the
traffic should continue to increase further expenditure of
capital would be necessary."
The CHAIR AN, in moving the adoption of the re-
port, said that lie believed that it contained every point
which it was important that the meeting should be
inf firmed of. They would perceive by it that the traffic
had continued to advance in every branch, but the
principal increase had been in the carriage of iron ore,
mainly owing to the opening of new mines. The in-
creased traffic required additional outlay in engines and
waggons. With regard to the 50,000/. for which they
applied. although only part of it would be required im-
mediately, yet the directors thought it desirable to have
the remainder to provide additional facilities as they
might be required. When the Ulverston line should be
opened, they would be able to judge of its capacities.
It would, however, for some time continue to be an iso-
lated line, until the completion of the works of the
Ulverston and Lancashire line, which were at present in
progress„

Mr. WALKER seconded the motion, which, after a
short conversation, was agreed to.
The dividend, as recommended, was then declared,
and the application to Parliament for the power to raise
50,0001. sanctioned. The proceedings then closed with
a vote of thanks to the chairman.

SPORTING NOTES

ANTICIPATIONS ANENT AINTREE.
The annual spring gathering at Aintree moults no
feather of its popularity. It still maintains intact those
powerful and varied attractions which have constituted
it the most interesting and important of all early " fix-
tures." The Grand National Steeplechase alone is a
tower of strength to the meeting, as, indeed, it is the
principal and only engrossing "cross country" event of
the season. Judging from the increased activity, which
has within the last week been imparted to the betting
and the still widening range of speculation, its celebra-
tion on the present occasion is likely to be marked by
incidents of an unusually exciting description. The
most important movements in the turf market relative
to it I have already endeavoured to indicate and explain,
and the opinions which I have expressed respecting them
have been strengthened by the latest "operations."
Notwithstanding the growing favour manifested for
Oscar and the hardened confidence of Bourton's sup-
porters, my high estimate of Miss Mowbray's pretensions
is not lessened. Still, in calculating her chance I am
not unmindful of the many contingencies which, in a
large field of horses, may, in any part of the encounter,
effectually destroy the possibility of her success. Still,
Miss Mowbray will not be more liable to accidents than
her most formidable opponents, and with the assistance
of her cool-headed, experienced jockey, the odds are cer-
tainly in favour of her clearing without mishap the most
dangerous " obstacles " in the course.
Some uncertainty exists as to the ultimate "intentions"
relative to Miss Mowbray's stable companion Oscar,
and, ,indeed, many persons affect to believe that his
party build large expectations on the probability of his
success. Although this opinion is not opposed to all
"turf tactics," yet it certainly appears to be at total
variance with the evidence supplied by the betting.
Indeed, for months the entire tendency of speculation
has been to try and prove, and, I think, successfully the
earnestness and good faith of Miss Mowbray's supporters.
Should, however, any accident happen to the mare, I
shall not be surprised were Oscar to achieve the victory;
but I believe that he will only be started to make the
running and clear the way for Miss Mowbray, and to
take care of Bourton, whom, be it remembered, he has
once, and at a heavier weight, easily defeated.
Bourton possesses pretensions certainly less sound
than those of Miss Mowbray ; still I do not wish to
deny or disparage his proved racing merit. Still, through
Oscar, Miss Mowbray's party are enabled to form a
pretty accurate estimate of his capabilities, and that
estimate has doubtless been made, and the bettingshows
that they are not discouraged by it.
The recent successful running of Trout has doubtless
materially contributed to extend the popularity of Sour-
ton, and to fill his partisans with confidence and boast-
ing. That I mistrust Bourton lam compelled to ad-
mit, his temper is uncertain, and if not th vein, he may
destroy the hopes of his backers at the first formidable
fence.

Peter Simple and Half-and-Half will unquestionably
be dangerous antagonists ; for the old 'un, however,
notwithstanding his crushing weight, I entertain the
strongest partiality. Relative to Half and Half, the
betting has recently fluctuated in so perplexing and
unaccountable a manner, that I am unable to determine
whether it will be a winning or a losing game that will
be played with him. Will a big knell be sounded for
his defeat, or will Ms victory be celebrated by a little
peal ?

Maurice Daley is warmly fancied in certain well-
informed quarters, but I entertain no sanguine expecta-
tions of his chance ; notwithstanding, too, the increasing
support received by La Gazza Ladra, lam inclined to
believe that the confidence of her backers also may be
misplaced. These remarks also apply in a wider or less
iignificance to Lady Arthur, and certain other probable
st trters. Of the outside division, Abd-el-Kader,
Spring, and Bedford may figure most prominently in the
encounter, and were an unthought-of animal to achieve
the victory, one of the three mentioned may pull
through to the joy of the "fielders."
Having carefully compared the relative merit of the
intended competitors, and having duly considered every
movement in the turf market, it would be contrary to
common sense to select any other than Miss Mowbray
as the probable winner of the Grand National Steeple.
chase.

I shall not extend my comments to the legitimate
events ; should I, however, gather any information
worth communicating respecting them, it shall be laid
before the readers of The Sun on Tuesday. Before these
hastily penned observations appear in type, I shall be
located at Manchester en route to Liverpool determined
to attend Stretford steeplechases, in order to hear the
sayings and observe the doings of the Manchester men.
Feb. 25. A FRESH MAN.

LIVERPOOL SPRING MEETING.
WEDNESDAY.
Subjoined is a programme of the sport :-
1 The TRIAL STAKES of 5 seem each, with 30 soya, added ;
three-yr-olds, 6st 41b four, Bst 4lb ; five, 9st ; six
and aged, 9st 31b ; mares and geldings allowed 41b.
Mile and a quarter. 5 subs. To name the night pre-
ceding, at seven o'clock. Mr. Moseley, Mr. Saxon,
Mr. Worthington, Mr. W. Palmer, and Mr. T. Bell.
The LIVERPOOL SPRING CuP (Handicap) of 100 soya, in
specie, by subscription of 10 snvs. each, h ft, with 60
added ; one mile and three-quarters. 24 subs.
Age at lb Age st lb
Colsterdale 6 8 7 Charity
Cariboo
Lancashire Lass 4 8 2 Lurley
Ulster 4 7 10IThe Speaker, by
Dove
Kilquade
Missive
Cleveland
Cabin Buy 4 7 6 Pantaloon
Angelo
The Event 5 7 2 Antonia 3 5 6
Lightof the Harem 4 7 2 The Cripple _ 3 5 4
Escape
The GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE of 20 soya, each,
h ft, with 100 sovs. added ; the second to save his
stake. Winners of any steeplechase from the time of
declaring the weights, once, 6lb ; and twice or more,
10lb extra. About four miles. (62 subs., 17 of whom
declared and pay 5 soya, each.)
Age at lb Age st lb
Peter Simple a 12 0 Pride of the North a 9 8
Bourton
Oscar
Miss Mowbray ... a 11 9 Labyrinth
The Colonel
Peter
Half-and-Half ... a 10 8 The Dodger (h b) a 9 6
Abd-el-8ader...... alO 6 Calmar
Bedford (h b) ...... a 10 4 Robin Hood
Simple. Peter ...... alO 2 The Prince .
Victress a 10 0 Squire of Mahon a 9 4
La Gazza Ladra... a 10 0 Comeaway 6 9 4
Tom of Tuam ... 6 10 , 0 Royalty 5 9 4
Daphne
Lady Arthur...... a 9 10 Little Charley
Maurice Daley ... a 9 10 Old Rake
Maley a 9 10 Trout a 9 0
Star of England... a 9 10 Luck's All a 9 0
Spring 6 9 10 Chester
Napoleon 11....... 5 910 g by Faugh-a-
Maria Day......... a 910 Ballagh (h b) 6 9 0
Geraldus .......... a 9 8 Burnt Sienna a 8 12
Mountain Maid... a 9 8 Pony (pd)
The TIRO STAKES of 5 sous. eacb, with 30 added, for
two-yr-olds ; colts Bst 71b, fillies and geldings Bst 31b,
T.Y.C.
Mr. Barber's Chaon

Mr.
Mr.

T. Bell's Exmouth
Croft's Yevitiek

Mr. Fletcher's Proserpine

Mr. Harrison's f by lago
Belle Dame
Mr. Morris's The Broom

. .
The AINTREE PLATE of 70 sovs. One mile.
Age st lb' Age st lb
Eulogist 4 8 7 Voucher 4 7 4
Lancashire Lass 4 8 2 Game Tommy.
Sir Robert .
Axweil . 4 7 12 Lord Lieutenant 4 7 0
Warwick ... ...... a 7 6 Rachetee 5 6 10
Worcester 6 7 6 The Speaker
The Tempest ...... 5 . 7 6 Antonia 3 5 8
Songster. 5 7 6 Andromache 3 5 2
Escape
The SCRAMBLE HANDICAP of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added;
if 10 subs., the second to receive 10 soya. out of the
stakes ; if 15, to receive 20 sovs. Half a mile. To
close and name the night preceding.
The OPTIONAL SELLING STAKES of 5 soya, each, with 30
sovs. added. One mile. To close and name at seven
o'clock the night preceding.

The ground is in excellent condition ; and, should
the weather continue favourable, there will be an im-
mense attendance of company.
COSI/MANORS FROM EUSTON STATION.—The 9.15 a.m.
express train arrives at. Liverpool at• 3.40 p.m. ; 10.0
a.m. ditto, at 4.45 p.m. ; 12 at noon, Ist and 2d elass,
at 9.0 p.m. ; 5.0 p.m., express, at 10.50 p.m. ; 8.45
p.m., mail train, at 4.0 a.m.

RACING FIXT'
MA'

Liverpool Spring 1
Doncaster Spring 7
Salisbury
Coventry Spring 14

RES FOR 1854.

,CH.

Croxton Park 4
Epsom Spring 6
Cheltenham Spring 12
Newmarket Craven 17

Warwick Spring 2l
Catterick 27
Northampton 29
Abergavenny 30
IL.

Catterick Bridge 19
Abergavenny 2O
York Spring 25
Malton 27
AY.

Newmarket F S
Chester Spring 9 I Lewes l9
Lothians& Edinburgh...ll ' Bath 23
Newmarket S S lB I Liverpool Hunt Spring ..24
Shrewsbury lB I Epsom 30
JUNE.

Manchester
Ascot Heath 13 Stockbridge. 29
Newcastle-on-Tyne Q 0 Ludlow 30
Hampton 2l Winchester 3O
Carlisle 2G
JULY.
Newmarket ........ ... 4 Stourbridge l7
Worcester
Lancaster 6 Nottingham 20
Mansfield ll I Goodwood 25
Liverpool l2 I Ripon
Ipswich 13
SEPT]

,MBER.

War wick
Lichfield
Western Meeting 7
Rochester and Chatham 7
Doncaster 12
Pontefract 18

Bedford 10
LeioeAer 2O
Manchester Autumn 2l
Lanark
.25
Newmarket F 0 26
Northallutort 2B

THE SUN, .LONDON, MONDAY EVENING,. FEBRUARY 27, 1854.

POLICE INTRLLIGENCE.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET. —A gentleman, ac-
companied by a young and attractive female, asked per-
mission for his companion to make a statement of her
case. The young woman said she was the daughter of
a farmer of respectability in the Isle of Wight. A per-
son assuming to be a gentleman, living in Warwick-
street, had lodged during the summer months at her
father's farm, and had induced her, under a promise of
marriage, to leave her home and accompany him to Lon-
don. She had been in London about five months. Her
seducer, finding she was cnciente, deserted her and left
her penniless. Had it not been for the kindness of the
persons with whom she now lived she must have found
her way into the streets. Her parents were incensed at
her conduct, and refused to assist her.
Mr. Hardwick said he had no means of interfering
effectually in such a lamentable case. All he could do
was to afford some temporary assistance from the poor-
box until confinement occurred, and then, if the parents
still continued inexorable, to make interest to get the
applicant into some reformatory institution.

CLERKENWELL.— Villiers Pearce was put at the
bar, before Mr. Corric, on a remand, charged that he,
having been convicted and transported for felony, was at
large, without license, before the expiration of his sen-
tence.

Seven years ago the unfortunate accused was con-
victed of forging the signature of the Marchioness of
Queensbury to a cheque, which he presented for pay-
ment at Messrs. Coutts's bank, where he was given in
charge, the forgery being at once detected, and be was
ordered to b© transported for 10 years. Five months
ago he came to London, and was living in obscurity with
his wife and children, when, through some family dispute,
his hiding-place was made known to Sir Richard
Mayne, the Commissioner of Police, and on Sunday
he was apprehended by Sergeant Gunn, of the G
division, and remanded to procure his former convic-
tion. That evidence was now given against him, and
on being asked by Mr. Corrie if he had anything
to say, as it was his duty to commit him for trial
at the ensuing Old Bailey Sessions, the prisoner, who
was extremely agitated, and seemed overwhelmed
with remorse, thanked the worthy magistrate, saying
his history was a sad one indeed, and he hoped the state-
ment he was about to make would be placed on the de-
positions, so that the judge and jury by whom he would
be tried should become aware of the severe sufferings
and privations he had endured.

The learned magistrate kindly informed him that his
wishes should be complied with.
The prisoner then gave a melancholy account of his
life, dating from 1822. It appeared that he was well
connected, and had, before the commission of the for-
gery, which was his first offence, held some responsible
situations in the colonies. After his conviction in 1846,
he was sent to Van Dieman's Land, where he obtained
a ticket of leave. He then went to the diggings, and
though he was several times successful, he was robbed
of his gold by bushrangers. He was'repeatedly wrecked,
and underwent great sufferings on each occasion. He
fervently implored the pove.ninent to have compassion
on him for the sake of his numerous and respectable
family, for his great mental and bodily sufferings, and
for his present weakly, worn-out, debilitated state of
health.

The recital of the extraordinary sufferings of the un-
happy man excited much sympathy in every one present.
Having signed the statement the prisoner was fully
committed to Newgate, the worthy magistrate humanely
observing that he hoped the punishment would be light.

DESPERATE COMBAT WITH TWO

CONVICT,I.

The following account of the capture of two convicts,
near Melbourne, is from a letter of Lieutenant-Colonel
Joseph Anderson, late of the 50th Regiment of Foot,
addressed to his sister at Glasgow :
" About two months ago two notorious and desperate
convicts made their escape from Van Diemen's Land,
and reached our coast. They at once commenced a
fearful course of highway robberies, plundering, and
otherwise cruelly maltreating men, women, and even
the children of all who resisted their outrages, and, be-
fore they had been a week at lrrge, had committed no
less than three murders. They were armed to the teeth,
and from the beginning possessed themselves of the best
horses they could find in their way, and in this manner,
passing rapidly from place to place, they carried terror,
death, and destruction wherever they went. Parties of
our mounted police were sent out in all directions, and
for a fortnight or more scoured the country in pursuit,
by night and day, without avail. At last a party con-
sisting only of your son (Charles Hope Nicolson), a bro-
ther cadet of the name of Thompson, and a trooper, came
suddenly about sunset on a hut in the distant bush, many
miles away from any other habitation, and found the door
fixed ; but on listening they heard voices within, and, on
bursting open the door, found in an inner room no less
than nine persons who had been robbed and tied up by the
bushrangers. While the captives were being released
one of them called out, 'There they are ;' and, on our
heroes looking out, they saw the men galloping up with
their revolvers levelled towards them. Although our
party was on foot they instantly dashed at them and in-
quired who they were. The villains, as if to gain time
to ascertain how many they had to contend with, an-
' swered at first that they were neighbouring settlers, but
our heroes were not to be done, and, seeing this, the
bushrangers'commenced the attack by firing at them,
which our people instantly returned; but unfortunately,
poor Cadet Tuompson fell from the leading bushranger's
second shot, and thus your boy and the trooper had to
continue the fight, and this they did so effectually that
the villainsgave wav and galloped off, taking the trooper's
horse away with them. Poor Thompson was then car-
ried into the hut and found to be wounded through the
lungs. The trooper was despatched for medical assist-
ance to Kilmore, nine miles off, and your son was left
alone with poor Thompson, excepting the nine persons
who had suffered themselves to be tied up, expecting
every moment a second visit from the foe. Your son
made the best arrangements he could by posting the
men, on whom he could place little confidence, around
the hut, and in this perilous situation he continued un-
til two o'clock in the morning, when the doctor, accom•
panied by two troopers, came to their relief and assist-
ance. After this night of suffering from bodily fatigue
and mental anxiety, at dawn of day your son, with his
two troopers, accompanied by a native black from Kih
more, again went in chase, the black following the trail
of the bushrangers with the instinct of a bloodhound.
One of the troopers was sent forward for the purpose of
reporting, if possible, at the nearest police station, what
had occurred. Holding on their course for two or three
miles, they saw the trooper returning at full speed, wav-
ing his cap. They pushed on, and soon got sight of the
two bushrangers of the previous night, in company with
a third, coming up at a cool and determined pace
towards them. The conflict soon commenced, both
parties rushing furiously and fearlessly at each other,
discharging their fire from one or more barrels as they
met, and alter passing, each in their turn wheeling their
horses roun, and again at it ; and in this way they continued to fire and hack with their swords at each
other for some minutes. Your gallant boy was slightly
grazed on the cheek by the leader's first shot, and the
second passed, right through his horse's neck ; but,
nothing daunted, he still continued the fight, charg-
ing his man again and again, until his ammunition was
all gone. He then rode desperately at the fellow and
threw himself from his horse on the bushranger, seizing
him round the neck ; both were brought to the ground,
the desperate villain retaining one of his revolvers.
A fearful struggle ensued, but your son got over him,
disarmed him, and kept him so tight by the throat that
he called ont for mercy and quarter, and surrendered.
Meanwhile the troopers had also succeeded in securing
the other two villains, and all were now bound hand and
foot and brought in triumph to Melbourne. On their
way down the villains complimented your boy for his
gallant and honourable conduct towards them in giving
them a fair fight and a fair chance, and told him, as his
reward, where he would find 1151. in gold " planted"
near the hut, and to which he was welcome, as money
was no object to them now. They also confessed to no
less than 17 murders during their lifetime, committed in
various parts of the world, and only regretted that they
had not settled' a few more of the police. They have
been tried and executed since, and your gallant son has
been promoted and otherwise rewarded. Poor Thomp-
son, strange to say, is still living."