The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-06 00:00:00

THE 1 JEN, L.O NDO N; • TUESDAYyRV'E N I N;G,‘ JUNE 6, -1854.

. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE,

LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN.
The threatened strike of the engine-drivers on the
southern division of this company's undertaking has ex-
cited some interest. It appears, however, that deputa-
tions from the men have been fully and fairly met by
M'Connell, the able and indefatigable superinten-
tendent of the locomotive department, and that every
fcility has been given them to make any representations
they may deem necessary to the directors' locomotive
committee, in addition to those already submitted, in
ispect to a demand for a rise in the wages of the engine
drivers of passenger trains to 7s. per day, and of drivers
clf goods trains to 6s. per day. This matter is to come
i,nder the consideration of the locomotive committee on
riday next. It is believed that the threatened strike
4ad arisen from some misapprehension on the part of
Vie drivers that it was intended to force them to work
the trains by contract and thereby reduce their wages ;
ut, so far from that being the case, it appears that ap-
plications for working by contract emanated in the first
instance from some of the steadiest and most experienced
drivers on the line, and that the system was discounte-
nanced and opposed by those of inferior position. The
first contract let was to the most skilful engine driver
In the company's service, for working the train from
London to Rugby, and the result was not only satisfac-
tory to him, but also, to the company. The contract
included wages, coal, coke, oil, tallow, waste, and small
:repairs, at 34d. per mile ; the average cost to the com-
pany under the former system being about 54-d. The
result of one month's working, ending 14th of April last,
under the contract was, that the mileage (4,057 miles
run) amounted, at 3id. per mile to 63/.75. 911 d. The small
repairs amounted to 13s. 7d. ; oil, tallow, and waste, to
17s. 114 d. ; 18 tons of coke, at 1/. per ton, and 22 tons of
coal at 12s. 6J. per ton, to 321. 16s. 4d. The usual wages,
41. Bs. were paid weekly to the driver and his men, and
amounted for the month of four weeks tol7/. 12s. leaving
a balance in his favour of 11/. 7s. 101 d., or at the rate
of 2/. 17s. per week in addition to the ordinary wages.
The great advantage of the contract system to the men
on this line is, that they are secured their wages for the
time they are at work under any circumstances, whether
their expenses exceed the contract price or not, and, if
they should be less the driver receives the difference.
On a fair comparison of the coke and coal used by con-
tract men with those working in the usual way, there
appeared a saving of 41b. of coke per mile out of 211 b. in
favour of working the trains by contract, in other cases
of Sib. out of 251 b, for passenger trains. On a compari-
son of some goods trains of-33 waggons each, worked by
contract, it appeared the consumption was at the rate of
34113,, of coke per mile, while similar trains for equal dis-
tances, worked in the ordinary way, consumed 52416.
of coke per mile. It is stated that the cost of coke
and coal for the southern division of this line exceeds
200,000/. per annum, and that the saving of 20 per cent,
on that item would be something like 40,0001. a-year.
On the 18th of February last the first contract was let
for working the train to Rugby and back. In March
two experienced engine-drivers made application to work
under the contract system, in April two more, and in
May 26 drivers made application, and agreed to work
rains by contract, making 31 drivers up to the end of
last month working engines and trains by • contract.
Applications from 11 other drivers to work engines by
contract were pending last week when the threatened
strike was announced, but it was intimated to them that
they might withdraw their applications if they thought
. proper to do so ; and also, with a view to show that
there was no compulsion in the matter, it was further
intimated by Mr. M'Connell that those drivers who
were at present working under contracts might give
them up if they wished, but they respectfully declined
the offer.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER;-JuNz 5.

(Sittings at Westminster, in Trinity Term, at Nisi Prius,
before Mr. Baron Parke and Common Juries.)
SHARPHALL V. M tElt N.

Mr. J. 0. Griffiths conducted the case for the plain-
tiff ; and Mr. Sergeant Wilkins and Mr. Robinson
appeared for the defendant.
Tht‘ defendant pleaded "That before the acceptance,
the plaintiff accused the said defendant of having been
guilty of felony, and it was illegally agreed by and be-
tween the plaintiff and defendant, that in consideration
of the plaintiff forbearing to prosecute the defendant for
the said crime, the defendant should accept certain bills,
amongst others one for 301., which the defendant then
gave, and the bill sued upon was give n in renewal of the
same. "

ROBBERY OF A 10001. BANK BILL BY A

LIVERPOOL SHAREBROKER.

LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.— George Foster, a share-
broker on the Liverpool Stock Exchange, was to-day
brought before Mr. Mansfield, the stipendiary magis-
trate, on the charge of having stolen, on the 23d of
April last, a Bank post-bill for 1,0001. from the Bo-
rough Bank in this town. The case on the Stock
Exchange created great interest, and the court was
crowded throughout the inquiry by sharebrokers and
mercantile men. Mr. Raffles barrister, appeared to
prosecute, and Mr. Aspinall, Canister, on behalf of the
prisoner. The facts of the case, as detailed by Mr.
Raffles, and substantiated by evidence, 'are these :
On the 19th of April last the bill in question was paid,
by Messrs. Bailey and Brothers, into the Borough
Bank. The practice at the bank is, to place these
bills in a case by themselves, and to balance them on
each Friday. On the Friday subsequent to the bill
being paid, Mr. Finney, the sub-manager of the bank,
who had the management of the bill department,
was absent attending in a case before the magis-
trates, and • upon that occasion Mr. Kershaw,
one of the cashiers, balanced the bills, and they were
found to be correct. On the following day, the
22d, Mr. Finney was again absent before the magis-
trates, and one of the cashiers, Mr. Williams, being in
want of money to meet a demand, went to Mr. Kershaw
for an additional supply. Mr. Kershaw took 4,0001.,
in Bank of England notes of 1,0001. each, and handed
them to Mr. Williams, and subsequently the post bill for
1,0001., which by Mr. Williams was placed upon his
desk, at the end of the counter, near to which there is
an entrance to the interior of the bank, by a swing door.
At the time Mr. Williams placed the bill upon his desk
there were several persons in the bank, and amongst
them Mr. Kershaw noticed the prisoner, who was lying
over the swing door, whence he could see what was
lying on the desk. On the 28th April, Mr. Finney,
in balancing the books, found there was 1,0001. missing.
Bills, as they are paid, are marked off in the bill-book, and
on consulting this, the missing bill was found not to be
marked off, in consequence of which, on the following day,
payment of it was stopped at the Bank of England, and
it was subsequently found that it had been received by
Glyn's, the bill having been sent up to them from the
Borough (Liverpool) Bank on the 26th of May, where
it had been paid in a second time, on the evening of
that day, by Messrs. Joseph Eccles and Co., who had
an account with the bank. Mr. Joseph Eccles was
sent for, and he said he had received the bill from the
prisoner, Foster.- Subsequently to this the prisoner
went to the bank inoompany with Mr. Eccles, and to
inquiries made of him relative to the note he stated that.
he had met a gentleman on 'Change, named Harris,
whom he had known about three months, and with whom
he became acquainted by meeting him in the Exchange
News-room, and speaking with him relative to share
transactions, but he was unacquainted with his Christian
name or place of residence, and from him he received the
post-bill. He (the prisoner) afterwards saw Mr. Eccles
on 'Change, and asked him to cash the note ; at the time
Mr. Eccles was unable to do so, but told him that if he
would ac.lompany him to his office he would accommodate
him. He (the prisoner) did so, and the note was
changed, two 5001. bank-notes being given in exchange.
Information was then given to the police, and the
case was en trusted to Inspector Bates, of the detective
force, who 'went with the prisoner to the whole of the
persons of the name of Harris who appeared in the
" Liverpool Directory," but no light was thrown upon
the residence, of the veritable Mr. Harris. Bates then
accompanied 'the prisoner to his lodgings at Clifton-park,
Cheshire, whe re, after much hesitation, the prisoner
took him into• a room occupied by the lady of the house
with whom he lodged, and after removing a wooden
covering from the mouth of the chimney, put his hand
up, and brought down an envelope containing three
1001. Bank o f England notes and twelve 501. Bank of
England notes . To account for some of these, the pri-
soner said he .had received 8781. 17s. 6d. from the secre-
tary of the Stock Exchange. In answer to Mr. Aspi-
nail, Bates said, from inquiry ho had made, he had
reason to believe this was the fact, but he had not yet
had sufficient time to endeavour to trace the notes
which the prhsoner said he had received in exchange for
the bill. Tin prisoner was remanded for a week, to
afford further time for inquiry.

CRICKET.

NOTTINGHAM v: ALI, ENGLAND.

This was be first of the "great matches" for the
present seaso-a, and, as was expected, drew a large
assemblage 4::f noblemen and gentlemen. The state of
the game when time was called was as follows :
ENGLAND.

SPORTING INTELLjGENCE.

TATTERSALL'S -YITSTERDAY.

The preliminary step to the general settling of the
Epsom accounts was taken as usual, but the policy of
such a proceeding is somewhat questionable. With
many of the members, who have learned caution from
experience and at no little cost of pains and money, there
is a ,concurrence of opinion that it would be better to
have no meeting on the Monday, but, with a proper re-
gard for the convenience and accommodation of provin-
cial speculators, confine the entire business to Tuesday.
Be this as it may, considerable progress was made yes-
terday in paying and receiving, and the tone of the
market was such as to inspire confidence, but the true
test of its pecuniary strength will be applied to-day.
The "Leviathan," as he has not unaptly designated,
on account of his immense speculations and vast means
and appliances, is again the loser of a very heavy stake ;
but, with his extraordinary elasticity of spirits and ap-
parently inexhaustible resources, he made a very light
affair of it, and his supplies alone were sufficient to keep
up a brisk circulation.
The following were the only bets that came under
notice :

MANCHESTER CUP.
sto 1 agst Jouvence (taken).
sto 1 agst Balrownie (taken).
ST. LEGER.
250 to 100 agst King Tom (taken).

PRICES UP SHAKES.

IN BANKS, ASSURANCE, AND OTHER COIN
PANIES' STOCK.
From the Official List.

Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of Paid. Price.
Annum. Share.
X a. d. X a. d.
Australasia—. . 6/. per cent. 40 0 0 all 72
British North American 61. per cent. 50 0 0 It 60
Commercial of London. 51. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0
Colonial 3l. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0
lonian . .
Lond. Char. Bk. of Aua — 20 0 0 210 0 15X
London and County
Londn and Westminatr I 61. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0 35U
London Joint •Stock
Provincial of Ireland Bl. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0
Ditto, New.....• Bi. per cent. 10 0 0 all
National of Ireland 4l. per cent. 50 0 0 22 10 0
Nat. Provncial of Eng 6l. per cent. 100 0 0 35 0 0
Ditto, New .... •. .
Oriental Bank Corpora. 121. p. ct.&ba. 25 0 0 all 44
South Australia .. . •
t
Union of Australia 4O/. per cent. 25 0 0 25 f 0
0 68
Ditto .. ....
Union of London
Union of Madrid