The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-08 00:00:00

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.c3tirm is in the fellowing words :
tohfo the resboelgugtieodn
1 opinion in fave'ol
. . rarster explained his absence froni the two meet-
vie
wvrahoi enh
this li e delivered
important tLom:t ht
teel:b:OI-24rd
This," as:, sem eeach- -
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hi
r3ithet..oyuerrfeaattshtoeennhstei
oauurpdoi :oaf
tadt•iehirniecelpittole. t
oentire]Tl)keeye pdii
aff
divertedteir. i
random
ninditaming
memorandumhie
`histo at the latter ofr
convenience to the beads of the departments in carrying front
held in Bridge-street, Westminster, on
con-
on the works appertaining to them. A close supervision, ; tu
also, of the various departments had led to a reduction in from the real injury which has been done to, you, will t
the staffs generally ; and these reductions IlAv,t not only ; have their hollowness exposed when you see how your , in `s
of the board -
been made with the full concurrence, but at the sngges• : intereste have been sacrificed, and how the just expecte- Monday and Tue
uavlaet, ate!
permission of
tion, of the heads of the departmente; and the result has tions of all the proprietors must, eventually, be -disap-
already been a permanent saving of about 5,000/. a year pointed by the action which the majority of the board
--(loud cheers)—and from all the information we have have taken. It will be in the recollection of the meeting branch to the decision ;f meetings, =u leave the Bromley
boardto recordeome
been able to acquire we have reason to believe that fur- that upon the last occasion when we assembled in this ealcleady !sitting upon
it
atittileethPearliamentery committee
then savings will be effected, without impairing the proe room, it was my duty, at the instance and by the dire°. recs erne!. Mr. Forster desires to talte'wo• other
come
i'2g
per working of the undertaking. The steam-boat este. tion of the majority of my then colleagues, to announce
, impooensilabtility attaching to that resclue
tlirois full share .; e any
board, the
blishment at Folkestone has uudereoree considerable alto- without hesitation, that the general canvass which had , petioadseheemreesult of which has been to dettleoat:titt
ration. The works belonging to that establishment. have gone on throughout the company for proxies in favour of Well, ti s before the Parliamentary cone' nii3tLweo"cor°•
now been concentrated at Ashford, where there is abun- the three retiring directors on the one hand, and of three ' a deci.sgi% semen, it might have been supposed•
that after
dance of labour and other appliances ; and we feel satin- proposed directors on the other hand, had resulted •in a 1 by the comm°itetome to by your board. and s
fled from the information we have received, that the decided majority in favour of the three new directors ; '
'directors would committee the House of ceennions,° thatapproved
your
repairs of the steam-boats can be made as well and as and to say that the directors unhesitatingly, bowed to would, as the have vigerously prosecuted the bi
efficiently, and more rapidly, than they coal(' have been that decision, so obtained, and the three retiring direr- ; approval of ite,yatmatt!st hate done, come to you for yourand
accomplished at Folkestone, whilst the amount of the tors withdrew from nomination and made the accession Mr. Hone-Scott ;nog eheir reasons for having authos
pay-sheets at Folkestone has been reduced from 1001, to of the three new directors as harmonious as they pos- uttered as their mouth those assurances wbich he
52/. per week—(hear, ]rear)—and Mr. Cudworth, the sibly could. Weil, gentlemen, the new directors SO ectight to obtain your a piece, and that they would have
head of the locomotive department at Ashford, has in- nominated to office assumed at once the responsi- the 'decision taken; butiophroba.tion and your support for
formed us that he will be able to effect a large reduc- bility of the management of the company. They the bill was passed by the serve what did take place—
tion in the expenses of his department without detract- elec'.ed the gentleman who has addressed you to-day as Commons ou the 21st of 1t
stage
of the Rouse of
ing from its utility: Branches of the engineering de- their chairman; and after a diviehmeett the board, in which i ceeded through its various .c 1, and might have pro-
pertinent have also been concentrated at Ashford, by the ()Pinion of the majority was not regarded by the gen- 1 step was taken in reepect to stages
lt.an'dnime 'tele', but no
, therefore, I gave
which a material saving has been effected ; but of the tleman who had the maiority of votes for that office, they notice to the board, on the llth of M offf my intention
precise amount lam not at present able to inform eubsequentlY elected a deputy chairman. Under the :to move a resolution to the followinay' ect:—namely,
you. I now, for a few moments, can, your attention circumstances in which the company was' then Placed, " That iestructions be given to the e
to the much-vexed question of • tee Bromley and having a bill before Parliament for the construction of a : with the Lewisham and Bromley Bill withoutsolicitorsto proceed
e 18thfurther
Lewisham extension line. I and, by the records of the protective line from Lewisham to Bromley, of six mires i delay," and I did move that resolution on th
of
company, that this project has been 'before you for many in length, and estimated to cost 136,0001., it became nee May ; and I may mention, in justice to two of
years, and that it has entailed upon you, in one shape or cessary for an immediate decision to be taken by the 1 colleagues throughout, that I was supported n o
other, large legal expenses • and this question, I may board of directors in regard to that bill; and the board Rich and Mr. Renshaw An a.seendmentwas by
elver.
addahas been a most embarrassing one to your new of directors meeting on Saturday, ,the 18th of March, moved by Mr. Matthew Forster whose nevi
however,
t
directors. I think you will do well to consider two days afterethe general meeting of the company, had menta in favour of my motion you have n•
the objects of the different parties who have advocated to assume the new and further responsibility cast upon to this effect, and it met withthe already
heard,
support of the majo-
exten4ons and the motives which induced such advo- them by circumstances which occurred upon Friday, the rity of the board.
racy ; and the more I reflect upon it the more lam con- 17th March, before the committee of the House of Com- 1
Mr. Forster's motion—"
----" That considering,, than - the
of
thet board is fully occupied in re-
vinced that the carrying out of the project would be at- mons to whom the schemes for railways in the south- time and attentionof h
tended with an outlay of a large amount of capital, with eastern district were referred. That committee. met on vising the affairs°line, and that the funds of the
little or no advantage to yourselves. (Hear, hear.) I Friday, March 17, and the counsel for the South-Eastern company and the labour of its officers are fully employed
ask you to consider whether the proprietors at large Company, watceing the proceedings of the committee, in carrying out h
possess such an amount of information as to enable them became convinced that the committee would inevitably that th branch
tsc
theemes already undertaken ;and also
otd village of Bromley, as laid down
to discuss this question calmly and deliberately, if we pass at least one of the three bills before them for the in the bill, 1)-omtol.e by the late board is not, ia our
had called you together for that purpose ; and I find construction of lines to. Bromley and Farnborough, the!)
from communications I have had, both personal and Farnborough being within 15 miles of Tunbridge ; and
0 opinion,
the es
public
either for the interest of the com-
t. public ;aye further, considering the pre-
written, that this would nut have been the case. I find at the close of the Friday they drew up a memorandum Biennistate o the mone market, with other reasoas for
that you have trusted too much, as is usually the case in containing the result of their observations. It was in postponement, we deem it inexpedient to proceed with
societies of this kind, to the directors themselves—(hear, these words
the bill in the present •
session, as far as relates to the
:
hear)—and I find that you were generally ignorant of " LEWISHAM AND BROMLEY.
Bromley bran "
y ch. Now, gentlemen, I wish to call
the merits and demerits, the advantages and the (Head- "It appears to us of immense importance in the conduct
vantages, of such a project. I think very few of you of this case, that counsel should know, before the bill is ter3our attention to this fact, that this resolution, passed
were aware of the manner in which it would embroil us submitted to the committee, what course the board, as now ay the board of directors of the South-Eastern Railway
with the Brighton Company if that line bad been carried, constituted, is prepared to recommend to the shareholders Company, was passed after the chairman of the corn-
respecting it. Should there be any evid„" before the pany hat! received a letter from Mr. Charles Geach, the 1
and I believe that few of you had taken into account the
committee of allisirnotn:ition
etuoroprxeecute the bill, this' member for Coventry, and the chairman of the West-
effect which the construction of that line would have had
upon your existing property, by the creation of a large circumstance
oifttreereivwall bills ; anievseen the abesnuceros; of one or end and. Crystal Palace, Bromley, and Farnborough
specific line statin •
g that if, upon the receipt of his letter, the
amount of profitless capital, and an annual charge upon assuranceb that the bill will be bona fide prosecuated may s '
revenue ; for I cannot admit that the Bromley and have the same effect. outh-Eastern directors called a Wharncliffe meeting of
Lewisham line would be anything but a losing concern. " Counsel for the Sydenham bill have already raised the the company, be should wait the decision of the meet-
I thought that none of you had looked to the final re- question, and it must be answered. log, but that he should consider an furthe d 1 r eay as
cults of that line, and that you were not aware that it "JAMES R. HOPE-SCOTT. decisive evidence that the directors y •
!rectors did not intend to
would involve the construction of a loop line from Brom-
C. HOGGINS. proceed with the bill, and that he should allow no op-
HENRY ALWORTH HEREWETHER. portunity to escape of obtaining thesanction of P
ley to Croydon, which loop-line would have a most •
.ar-
HUNTER RODWELL. 'lament to the other bills. Well,
serious effect upon your present system. lam aware
gentlemen, having,
" 17th March,
1854." on the 18th May, moved that in •
that a large majority of this proprietary are opposed
structions be given to
to extensions generally—(cries of •' bear, hear")—and I This memorandum was presented to the consi Teration of proeeed with the bill, and having been defeated, I
know also that some of you have never given a thought my honourable colleagues on Saturday, the 18th March, again endeavoured to set the board right and to protect
to it, provided a thing was recommended by the dime- accompanied by all the explanations which I had it in you, by moving the following resolution upon the Bth
my power to give, and with all the reasons which I had June, namely—"Tht a special meeting of the pro-
tors ; but I know there are a few—although but a small
portion of you—who desire extensions for speculative to offer in favour of decision for prosecuting the bill ; prietors of the company be convened to consider the
purposes. You will be told, I have no doubt, that in and I bad further to announce to my honourable col- Position of the Lewisham and Bromley Bill, and the pro-
withdrawing that bill, which we thought it our duty to leagues, that in the hope of enabling them to come to a priety of proceeding with it." The directors did not
jureddo, we have neglected our duty. and that we have in- satisfactory and amicable settlement of the question I choose to call you together ; they chose to assume that
your interests ; but I beg of you, in all statements had arranged for a meeting between thorn and the chair. You had left the policy of proceeding with the Bromle
that may be made on this subject, to look well into the man of the Brighton Company, and the chairman of the bill, under all circumstances, however urgent or critical
motives and, feelings of those who dictate sentiments West-end and Crystal Palace and Bromley and Fern. with them, concluding by a resolution stating, " That
that may be adverse to the olicy which your directors borough R 'away, for the succeeding Monday, the 20th they, after mature consideration having resolved that
have adopted with a view toe promote your interest. I March, at 10 o'clock in the morning. That meeting took the South-Eastern, Lewisham, and Bromley bill should
wish you to look into this matter, because it is one of place, and your directors had their discussion with the be withdrawn, it 'was unnecessary to trouble the share-
pre. gentlemen mentioned, and various suggestions were of- holders on the subject." Gentlemen, I can hardly con-
serious import to yourselves. If you look at the
sent state of your finances, and consider the decaying
fered, chiefly, I must say, inimical ones to the South- (wive a more unhappy state of things, because I say that
nature of our property, I think your feeling will be that, Eastern Company, and one was embodied in writing and neither you nor any other body of sane men should have
instead of prosecuting further extensions, the energies of was submitted by our solicitors, by order of the direc- refused to spend 136,0001. in constructing six miles of
the directors ought to be employed in petting your ex. tors, to the Parliamentary counsel for the South-Eastern railway, if you had the alternative of so doing ;or of
isting property into proper order. (Hear, hear.) I Company for their consideration. It was in the follows
seeing ten miles of railway carried into the heart of
e
think, also, it would be most improper to fetter your- in.' terms. If lam rightly informed, I may affiliate it Kent by a hostile company, at an expense of only
80 000/ for a sin le
• Mr Laing, as being its parent. I , • g line of railway, being about
one-
selves with any new obligations, but that you 'should on my hon. friend, .
fourth of what some ''
may mention that I was not present when it was drawn single miles owe ur railway have
wait patiently until a fair reason is presented for a de-
viation from that policy which caution and necessity has up, having been obliged to leave the meeting to cons- cost us. Well, gentlemen, what folloed ? The South-
now forced upon us. (Hear, hear.) We believe that municate to the counsel of the South-Eastern Company, Eastern, Lewisham, and Bromley bill was withdrawn
your line possesses great elasticity—we believe that it who were assembled by appointment, and had at 12 by the majority of the board, applie
has great elements of improvement ; but all this wants o'clock to attend the committee of the House of Coln-Mt, the
libou of Commons for l Mr. Geach
leave to recommit the two
vitality, and to secure that vitality we feel that a diffe- mons, what was in progress. This is the memo.
er ills,
s, which had been rejected ; and the only re- .
rent system to that 'which has hitherto been pursued random— suit which could be expected to follow did follow—
mustthe bills were re•co
• tten
na .
i '
m
be adopted. (Loud cries of " hear, hear," and " With reference to the question submitted to us by The West-end and
cheers.) We feel that a strict supervision and economy Mr. Freeman this afternoon, respecting the terms of ar. Crystal Palace Extension to Bromley and Farnborough
must be exercised, and we have no doubt that, with rangement embodied in a memorandum of this forenoon, passed through its various stages in the House of Com-
it appears to us to involve considerations which are beyond mons, and when it arrived in the House of Lords,
prudence and caution, with your supper, and the asap-
1. I was referred to a committee, there the Brighton
ciao of a little patience on your part, we shall be able to the, ordinary ary province
ert of cotin se
palpably tends to alter the position Can o- '
exctove e mpa Company (marvellous to say) and the South-Eastern
effect very great and very salutary cha'nzes. I ought
of 'the Soalm-rasmterin Company as the almost ompany both petitioneci against it ; and Mr.
to apologise for trespassing at so great a length upon
possessor of Kent; but how far such a measure may' be j
Rope-Scott explained the conductof the directors:
le
your time—(hear, hear) —bu t there is "still one point eneficial or otherwise to the general interests of that corn- T •
Companyho committee refused to hear either the South-Ea-tern
which I wish to bring before your notice. In the pany, is a matter of policy which belongs exclusively to
or the Brighton C •
,mipany against the Fern-
course of the next session, it is quite clear that schemes the directors,
for Mid-Kent will be brought before Parliament. You "Passing over, therefore, this intermediate point, we borough bill, but the South-Eastern Company carried on
are aware that parties have already got a footing as far must recur to the considerations which we submitted to pp
their onsition to the bill in a manner
not very un-
as Farnborough, and the object is to extend it on to the directors in our last opinion, and request a definite an- comlnon, by paying the expense of landowners, who were
Maidstone; but I'have heard that the object is also to ewer as to the amount of authority which we possess for induced to
petition against it. Gentlemen, I attended
construct a line to Tunbridge. Whether l that is the assuring the committee that the bill (which stands for to• on that committee of the Lords at every moment that
case or not, I cannot say ; but, supposing they get that morrow at twelve o'clock) will bebona.ede prosecuted, and my other duties permitted me to be absent from them,
ite powers. executed, by the Sooty-Eastern Company. and, seeing the course that was being taken, I (en, gave no-
line, there is no question that it will take a considerable
(Signed) JAMES R. HOPE-SCOTT.
amount of traffic from your main lino. No doubt you
" C. HOGGINS. tice in writing to the solicitor of the company, as I had
will hear it said that we have pursued a foolish and sue- " HEgRY ALWORTR MEREWETRER. done verbally before, of nay readiness to be examined as .
cidal policy in abandoning the Bromley bill. But let " HUNTER RODIVELL, a witness, as I did not see that there was any other per-
us look to the other side of the question. Supposing "Monday afternoon, March 20, 1851." son who could so exactly picture the unfortunate peel-
you constructed that line yourselves, you would hardly Well, gentlemen, the board of directors met on the tion in which the South-Eastern Company would be
be able to do that at the present time, with the high afternoon of that Monday, the 20th of March, and ad. Placid if the West-end and Crystal Palace and Bromley
prices of labour and materials, under three-quarters of a journed to the following morning, Tuesday ; and counsel and Far' borough bill were to be allowed to pass, or,
as
million. That would entail upon your existing revenue again, impressed by the new circumstances of the case far as I could tell, be so likely to induce the committee
a burden of 30,0001. a-year, raise the money how you presented before the committee of the House of Com- to view with some compassion the great evils the passing
will, for interest upon that capital. And when you mons on -the Monday, drew up another memorandum, of that bill would bring upon this company. Gentlemen,
complete it, it will positively he a competing line to your which included their reply to Mr. Laing's proposal, and the solicitor of the,South-Eastern Company, acting for
own, and will entail a dead loss upon you of 17,000/. a also their view of the position of the South-Eastern Com- the landowners, and my hon. colleagues your direc-
year. That will be your position if you make that line— pany. These are the terms : : tors, acting with him, did not think fit to avail them
you will add three-quarters of a million to your capital ; "In case all lines cannot be postponed— selves of my offer. They may say that they did not
there will be a permanent burden of 30,0001. a-year for "Landowners' line to pass from Farnborough to Beckon- know what evidence I might give upon the sub-
interest, besides an annual loss tee your main line of ham and Norwood ; jest. or how far my testimony might be uuflatter-
-17,000/. I ask you which is the most suicidal policy of " Abandoning Sydenham Junction. ins to them, or might inculpate them ; but I say,
'On condition—. ' that it was their duty to have ascertained from me,
the two ? . Having made these observations, and put
That next session the landowners (Sydenham and if they had such doubts, what it was I had to say, and
you in possession briefly, and I hope clearly, of all Farnborough)‘ shall either assent to the SouthEest
the leading features which have occupied our attention making
aine from Lewisham to a convenient junction how how I thought that I might in any way, under those
since I came into office, I have only in conclusion to with the landowners' line, or they shall be at libertyj to extretne'y trying circumstances, still serve the corn-
request of you that you will extend to us some little apply to Parliament for power to make it themselves. patsy ; and I frankly avow that the only way to serve
indulgence to enable us to make ourselves more per- "As between the Brighton and South-Eastern it is you would have been to condemn the proceedings of the
fectly acquainted with those matters which more agreed that, as part of the arrangement, if the line selected then majority of the board of directors of the . South-
nearly affect your interests ; and, gentlemen, you may be next year shall be one taking the direction of the present Eastern Company. Gentlemen, the majority of the di-
assured that if anything occurs of a favoerable nature, South-Eastern line, the Brighton Company shall have a rectors may tell you that they obtained reports fron
we shall communicate it to you with pleasure, whilst at clause empowering them to make at their cost a junction officers of the company about this line • d • 1
, an so they did
the same time, whatever occurs which , - from near East Croydon with the proposed line near —they obtained a report from
may not be alto
Beckenham ; and on such junction being made the South-
readiness, the company's engineer,
gather of the same favourable nature 'll ith eq al under date of April 25, conveying many sound
Eastern Company to send the South-Eastern traffic be- reasons
readiness, be placed' before you so thal‘t'l'w haven why the Lewisham and Broml bill
r. tween East Croydon and London Bridge by the Lewisham should go forward ;
the opportunity of judging -?
an, determinyouingshall
for jou and North Kent line. and they obtained a counter ey
report from a gentleman
selves, under whatever pha,se the affairs of the company "If tho line to Bromley be carried by east branch of who had been a subordinate officerofthe
company, and
may be presented to you. (hear hear.) There is one Ravensbonrne, the Brighton
Company will not object, and
whom they had, on their own responsibility, promoted
question connected with the report which I ought not to without stipulation, to another position, adverse to the enneer's reort
pass over unnoticed--that is, the additional capital " BeightonCompany agree, as part of this, that they will but, I say, that they were not justified, under the
which we ask you to allow us to
not work the landowners' lines without arrangement with circumstances that I have detailed, in taking Parliament upon
The amount is half a million. the South-Eastern Company, In making out the call- the
the decision of this nestles without calling
q
mates it has been done upon the principle' that we wish "If South-Eastern Company elect to make a lirie from upon you to i o •
Your o opinion, and to decide what
to conceal nothing from you. Some of the works must Lewisham to join the landowners' lino, they are to give ought to be done. P '
And now, gentlemen, let me tell
be immediately undertaken for the protection of the the landowners notice by lit September next." you, and Ido so with unfeigned sorrow, what is the
The board of directors then, on Tuesday morning, by a
existing traffic ; the other works it is proposed to extend
effect of the bill that has passed for making' this line
majority, decided that the South-Eastern Lewisham
over a period of five years, but that will not alter the
h and what are
sum which will be ultimately required, • There will be and B from the Crystal Palace to Farnborough, romley line should be prosecuted, and Mr. Hope-
the evils that it will bring upon your property. Gen-
no necessity to raise all that money at once - we merely Scott, the counsel for the company, conveyed to the tlemen, this is the state ofthe case. Our Lewisham and
ask for the authority to raise that sum, and that you will committee of the House of Commons the instructions Bromley line, six miles in length, would have been
leave it to our discretion and prudence
to raise it in a which he had received from your present chairman, in constructed at an expense of 136,000/. The directors
the following words. And I may here add, that I am
manner most beneficial to your interests during the
had the offer of an eminent and wealthy constructor to
period of five years. There is only one other matter to particular in quoting these expressions exactly, for, accept, in payment for the construction of that line,
which I will allude, and that is the question of loss upon •
although I shall be brief in. asking your attention, lam preferential stock, bearing 41 per cent, interest, and
light gold ; upon which I have the satisfaction of stating 1 •
mpressed with the extreme importance to your future 1 they had also the offer of the same contractor to hire
that arrangements have been made, 1
°Y which the loss interests of your well weighing these facts. These, then, that line from you, when constructed, at a higher rate
e
under that head will be diminished seveakeie,shtbs 1. , I not ,
are Mr. Hope-Scott's words :
of interest. The bill that has passed will convey the
entirely obviated. (Cheers.) .The hoe. 'lt remains only for me to allude to one matter which traffic from Farnborough, Bromley, and Mid-Kent to
chairman con-
cluded by moveng the adoption of the report, and re- has been used by my opponents. Is is that the South- i the Crystal Palace station, from it to the London-bridge
Eastern are divided among themselves on this line, and I •
sumed his seat amidst the general _
terminus of the Brighton Company, and over the West-
The of the you have expressions of opinion this I expressions '
way, and
meeting.
of opinion that way, and, therefore, there is no security i .
end and Crystal Palace line to the Chester and West"
The Hon. Mr. BIN., deputy chairman
, havin at all that the bill will be prosecuted and the line made. mmster terminus. The Westminster Station bill was
g se-
conded the motion,
On that subject I have specific instructions from the ; also passed last session. Observe, therefore, that all
_
Mr. HELMORE called attention to the several estimates board to press this line on your attention, and to beg traffic passing over that line, when constructed, will be
you to pass this line. And those instructions it is mY . entirely and absoluteiy removed from us, and will not
of further expenditure, and contended that the
of them were useless, and would not kdd a
Shilling to
"which f the other side can, of course, be equal to teose.
) Parliament to sanction Mr. Geach's Bromley and Farm-
their present receipts. He more particularly ques. are given to me by the parties who are responsible borough l•
me, with some gradients as steep as 1 in 75,
tioned the proposed outlay of 8,000/. for a custom-house for the instructions give andwhich I
they do me,
•and, consequently, capable of construction at a price far
at Folkestone.
received specific instructions to lay before you on this
below what lines of
our railway have cost tus. lii fact,
Mr. Kay, of Manchester, said it would h occasion, lam now speaking of a board decision delibe-
have been
of the line fora
the estimatesingle line from the
better if the hon. proprietor had submitted his views t rately come to."
the board previous to the meeting, and no doubt they° The result was that on the same day (Tuesday, the 21st line to Farnborou 1
Brighton g 1, ten miles, isouly 80,0001.;
and it requires no mathematician to tell you that on a
would have received due attention. Re called attention March) Lord Harry Vane and the other members of the
line so cheaply constructed a much smaller sum of net
to the fact that the legal expenses had amounted to an committee pissed the South-Eastern Company's Lewis-
average of 53,000/, a year for the last eight years, which ham and Bromley Bill, and threw out the two opposing profit will_for pay a better dividend than the sum which is
he considered was a matter which called for the serious schemes ; and they inserted in that bill a clause which, ; reqeetred your own costly line, with better gradients,
consideration of the shareholders. He expressed his I think, betokened their sound view of the case, and , well, gentlemen, now comes the question. 'Do you
confidence in' the present chairman, whom he congra- their clear appreciation of the difficulties of the position i srpo `.?" 'll • Geach and his friends, who have got
tulated upon the favourable impression which he had nn. of the South-Eastern and Brighton Companies, and the "
! t e sanction of Parliament for a line to Farnborough,
I ill sto there ?
doubted] made upon the proprietors on this first occa neeessity for some compensating arrangement between ' w le
will . Do you suppose for a momen
- ,
that line not be t that
sion of his meeting them, them, to prevent inconvenience and to insure public
if not to other places !
prosecuted at least to Tunbridge in Keta ?It is with the - '
Mr. MACGREGOR (the late chairman of the company) safety. The clause was as follows :
found grief and di •most ro-
then rose for the purpose of addressing the meeting ft "23. Unless the company shall, in the next session, or . . sappointment that I see such a hops • tale
was received with mingled cheers and hisses, ande in the session next thereafter ensuing, apply to Parlia- line invading the very heart of Kent, after t '
was a pre desire on the part of a section of th there meat, either alone or jointly with the London, Brighton, spent in anxious solicitude to guard our interesten years
in the
eupro- and outh Coast Railway Company, for power to construct traffic of that country, and thus reversino, •
prietors tovent his being heard. His address
in a moment,
pied about an hour and a half in its delivery, andeuu.' a railway from the railway by_this_ act authorised, at or all that has been done ',for our protection,
we near Bell green, to the London, Brighton, and South Coast were vulnerable there, I and m honourableion. That we
think we are not incorrect in stating that durin '
y colleagues
its de- Railway near East Croydon, and shall, on or before the Ist who acted with me did n t
livery he was interrupted not. less than from g3oto 40 day of October, 1855, give notice in writing, under their going back to earlier 9 conceal from you. Without
• ' The ' t !portion of h. •
times. grea er
you tee contents
but the following is a substantially correct noteof • Railway Conipany, of their intention or willingness so to ,of the circular we issued on the
. the
oat December last, and
to the one of the 16th Febr
whole of his observations. He said—l beg perm' apply, then the company shall offer no Opposition to the
make a few observations on the report which beenhas
sioit to
Preamble of • any bill which may be submitted to Parlia- stated that this Paint
in uary, in which we expressly
r the company's position Nivhassma
read to the meeting, and upon the present circumstances meta by the London, Brighton, atel South Coast Railway I vulnerable one • that the
of the company, and also to say a very few wordsances I Company, for making a railway between the points afore- ' and Bromley branch
obvious]p project to make the
dLeitsv: _
as
the position in which lam myself placed ; and on said ;or failine any euch application by the last-mentioned 1 valuable to the compan y recommende lf
'land to
for the company, then the companyc shall offer no opposition to the ! prevent opposition of ay toh protteecrt interests,itshiehwould if
no.
very few moments in which I propose to trespass
the time of the proprietors I shall venture to ask
for upon preamble of any bill whi h
orin person for
submittede to Parlia- ; glected, prove perniciou e are°
thatw the object of the
kind and indulgent attention. From the tenour of the
their meet by any other companyafor
esaid." malting a railway ! directors was to
pernicious,
and
the traffic of
secure to the company
re- . between the points . .
1 Alid-Kent branch the
port which the majority of the board of direct
9 and having made that short bra
r have I Gentlemen, the authority given to Mr. Hope-Scott was ;direction• s might
laid on the table, it might be supposed that all that had ! •at dui -summoned meeting of the board •
given a y of future exteneiens which other parties
happened since the last meeting of the company hadunder of direct. i seek to make beyond B ley. The majority of your
tors, at which seven members
were
' the administration of the newly-elected directors been 1 present (the two who I directors have had the game '. their own hands. The
in
their vie •
of were absent subsequently recorded views in oppo- What
the most praiseworthy character, and that the pert bill stoodthird reeding in the Commons,
for .
interests to a most
manent sition to each other), so that had all been prese t
our
interests of the company had been carefully and n the !Was there Missile 1 Gentlemen
success. de isio would have been the same •
when.
'fully guarded. It wilt be my duty to state to the . e ncolleague,, and I think it due ' serious extent, and they have been compromised,
have main-
- the YIOW which I entertain upoll tae ----- -- ------ - ------ -- - _ subject, ' you that I should place b
pro. to my hon. Mr. Matthew Forster, and due to I the majority of our board of directors might aid _ i
__
________ afore you the cutouts of the wad and upheld thou The whole mac of the Qom-
_ _ _ ___

---•
" No step has been taken by the board as to the other
position I have the honour to hold, that of managing di.
rector.
" But, after the best consideration, I am entirely con-
vinced that that position, to be useful and advantage me to
the company, is inseparable from the office of chairman.
I am certain that when yon become as conversant as long
labour has made me with the magnitude and importance
of the company's interests, your impression en this subject
will be the same as my own.
With this conviction on my mind, I feel that it would
be unjustifiable on my part towards the proprietary to re-
tain the office of managing director, awl I must therefore
request you to place my resignation of that office before
my colleagues at the board this day.
4, I am, dear sir, yourned)
obedient servant,
(Sig
" Sir J. N. R. Campbell." J. MAXGREGOR.
The appointment of the general manager was to take
place upon the 24th of April, and the directors had
advertised for candidates for the lee. Nineteen candi-
dates had ant,wered. Two were
your own establish-
ment—your wipe] intendent and your deputy superinten-
dent. The directors reduced the number for considera-
fiat] to six. The directors did not examine the testimo-
nials of any of the four applicants who were not in your
employ, but they proceeded at once to the election of
the
the superinten office of general manager of
company.
se of the Now, I felt it my duty, frees istatilig
saewnareoft_propriety of my hon. colleague* blivithlide
facts CoLuleCted with th
D1E44141100 of tat
_ _