The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-09 00:00:00

LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN
RAILWAY.

Yoax-ao.kn OFFICES, 9th November, 1853,
TO THE SHAREHOLDERS.

GENTLEMEN,

The assertions of Mr. Snell, calculated to produce an impression
on the Shareholders against the accuracy of the statements of the
Board, respecting the accounts of the Dorchester and Southampton
Railway, induced two Gentlemen, members of your body, to attend
at these offices, and examine the Books of the Company, in order to
ascertain for themselves the truth or fallacy of the statements sub-
mitted by the Board.
The result of their inquiry, contained in an article in " Herapath's
Journal" of the sth inst., sent herewith, chews that the statement of
the profits of that line is substantially correct.
Messrs. Quitter, Ball, and Co., of Coleman-street, professional ac-
countants, eminently conversant with railway accounts, have been
employed to examine the Company's books, and test the accuracy of
the statements ; and their report will be laid before the meeting on
the 15th inst.
It becomes my duty to call your attention to the following para-
graph in the Report of the Shareholders, who act with Mr. Snell,
viz.:
4' We have now further to state, that, having again applied to
examine the accounts of the company, with the assistance of
an accountant, and having been illegally again refused, unless
such accountant was a shareholder, we qualified Mr. Powell, of
76. a, Basinghall-street, and retain, to act with him, Mr. Cole-
man, the eminent accountant to the Bank of England, the
London and North Western Railway Co., &c. We have now to
report to you that, in the opinion of these unbiassed professional
men, as far as the examination of accounts has proceeded,
there is every reason to believe that Mr. Mertimer's state-
ment is only too true, viz., that the existing Dorchester
Branch is a considerable yearly loss to our Company, and tie
representation by. Mr. Scott, and others of the Board, to us
shareholders, that it yielded a profit of 3% per cent. per
annum upon its cost, was incorrect."
I can state as a fact, on the authority of Mr. Co'eman, the eminent
accountant of the Bank of England, tb at he has not seen or exa-
mined the books of the Company at all with reference to the mat-
ter, that he has given no such opinion a. 4 stated in the Circular of
the Committee of the 31st October before referred to, and that the
statement contained in that Circular as to Mr. Coleman's opinion on
the subject of the Dorchester Branch, is entirely unwarranted, and
without his sanction.
I have also to state that a communication from Mr. Coleman, con-
firming this fact, will be made public on Thursday next (to-morrow),
unless Mr. Snell shall before that time publish a retractation of the
statements made in the Circular in question.
Justice to Mr. Coleman, fairness to the Board entrusted with the
management of the affairs of the Company, and a due regard to
your own interests, demand that you should not act precipitately by
giving proxies upon an unwarranted statement, and that if any
shareholders have been misled, they should, by letter to the Secre-
tary, recal such proxies, and, if possible, attend m person on the 15th
inst., to hear such fbl statements as will then be laid before them,
verified by Messrs Quitter and Ball.
The other inaccuracies in Mr. Snell's report, many of which re-
fute themselves, remain to be exposed at the meeting. One, how-
ever, deserves immediate contradiction—viz., that only six Directors
are in favour of the Report.
It is difficult to imagine how Mr. Snell could thus have been mis-
informed. The Board consist of 13 Members. Messrs. Uzielli aid
Reed, who are on the Continent, have indicated their supoort—and
thus, with two exceptions, Messrs. Gaselee aul Mortimer, the Board
is unanimous in the policy which it recommenced.
- - -

I am, yours faithfully,
FRANCIS SCOTT, Chairman,

CHESTER AND HOLY HEAD RAILWAY.
C.,3IMUNICATION between ENGLAND, SCOTLAND
and IRELAND, via HOLYHEAD.
Notice is Hereby Given, that on and after the Ist Dec3mber,lBs3,
the Through Booking Arrangements for Passengers will be confined
excatsively to the EXPRESS VESSELS of the CHESTER and
HOLYHEAD COMPANY, which leave Kingstown at 9 a.m , and
Holyhead at 5.30 p.m.

By orr.
General Manager's Office, Chester,de 24th Oct , 18730. BINGER.

THEATRE ROYAL DRURY-L INE

Lessee Mr. E. T. Stith.

VHS I:VF,NIG, Nov. 9,

The GREAT AMERICAN EQ(TVITRIANS will exhibit their
"t"lthllig Feats, unma'ehed in the history of such Performances,
asststed by !ha hlost renowned Gymnastic Artistes, 0. Dale and
Barnes, the Europ3an and American c- ampions.

THEATR,; ROYAL, iIkYMA,ZKET.

Under the management of Mr. ltnekstone.

TlitS EVENIN(I, Nov. 9,

Will be performed MONEY. Characters by Messrs. G. Vanden-
hoe, Tilbury, Howe, Brtekstone, Compton, H. Corr;, and W. Farren ;
Mrs. L. S. Buckingham, "Iliss Chapin, and Mrs. Fitzwilliam

To he followed by Tlll,, 11«.C1C1A.1.V.,; OPER.I, Characters by
Featherstone and Orinonie.