The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-26 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

SOUTH-EASTERN. —lt appears that Mr. Alderman
Salornons, late chairman of the Reading, Guildford, and
Reigate Railway Company, has addressed a letter to the
proprietors of this company with a view to show that
the proposal for leasing the Reading, Guildford, and
Reigate Railway Company at a rent equivalent to 5k
per cent. on 800,0001. did not originate with him—that
he was no party to it, and had no connexion with it until
it was arranged. He states that although the South-
Eastern proprietors are liable to the Reading, Guildford,
and Reigate proprietors for a capital of 800,0001., this
am had not been spent on the line at the time it was
transferred to the South-Eastern Company. The day
the line was transferred, a draught amounting to
118,868/. was paid over with it, and also property be-
longing to the company was surrendered, including a
quantity of most valuable land, of which 30 acres adjoin
the town of Reigate, and about five acres are between
the station of the Reading and Reigate and the Great
Western station at Reading. He contends that in-
terest on at least 50,0001. of the money handed
over by the Reading and Reigate Company to
the South - Eastern Company should be chargeable
on the capital account of the latter company, which, at
4 per cent., would amount to 2,000/. a-year. He com-
plains of the fares charged on the Reading and Reigate
line, and says, however unpopular that line may now be
with the South-Eastern proprietors, he feels confident
that it will prove both remunerative and advantageous
to that company. With regard to his connection with
the East Kent Railway, he states that, in joining the
gentlemen of his county in the East Kent scheme, he
was only endeavouring to complete a line of railway to
which the South-Eastern Company had been long and
solemnly pledged. He considers the completion of the
line by a friendly company to be indispensable, not only
to the prosperity of the South-Eastern Company, but to
the protection of their present property. He concludes
by stating that he feels assured that the permanent inte-
rests of the South-Eastern Company are far more bound
up in the continuation of the North Kent line into East
Kent, by Strood to Canterbury, than in undertaking at
the present moment the construction, with South-Eastern
capital, of the branch line ffom Strood to Maidstone.
ST. ANDREW'S.—The half-yearly meeting of this com-
pany was held on ilonday at St. Andrew's, North Bri-
tain ; Mr. Smith in the chair. The Chairman, in moving
the adoption of the report, said the line was opened on
the Ist of July, 1852, and they would see, from the
capital account, that the construction of the line had cost
15,8841., the total expenditure being 22,6591. The re-
ceipts, including loans on debenture, amounted to
23,779/., leaving a balance of 1,219/., which the directors
expected would cover all demands. They might fairly
consider the traffic for the first seven months as satisfac-
tory, and there was every prospect of a progressive in-
crease. Resolutions were passed adopting the report ;
declaring a dividend at the rate of 4i per cent. per an-
num, less income tax ; re-electing Messrs. Smith and
Brown, the retiring directors, and electing Mr. W.
Walker an auditor of the company, in the room of Mr.
Adamson, retired.

HEREFORD, Ross, AND GLOCESTER.—The works on
this line from the juncdon with the South Wales line at
the Grange to the Lea tunnel are proceeding so satisfac-
torily that in a short time this portion will be opened for
traffic. The Lea tunnel is 600 yard in length, and the
operations have been carried on night and day—the
work proving much heavier than was anticipated. There
are four tunnels on the line—viz., the Lea one, 600
yards ; the second, at Fawley, four miles on the Here-
ford side of Ross, of 530 yards ; a very heavy one at
Ballingham, of 1,177 yards. The last tunnel is at
Dinedor, of 110 yards ; the whole comprises 2,610 yards
of tunnelling. At the Hereford end of the line the
works are being carried on with energy, but they will
occupy nearly a twelvemonth from this time. In the
neighbourhood of Ross the line has been formed for
several miles on both sides of the town.
ULSTER.—It appears that the directors of this com-
pany intend to declare a dividend for the past half-year
of 255. per share, being at the rate of rather more than
5 per cent, per annum—leaving a balance of 1,930/.

PIGEON SHOOTING EXTRAORDINARY AT HAREWOOD
BRlDGE.—Yesterday, Thomas Comock, Esq., Edward
Sadler, Esq., W. Hirst, Esq., John Mitchell, Esq.,
and Procter, Esq., Leeds gentlemen, met at
Harewood Bridge, to hoot five-and-a-half dozen of
pigeons from the trap, for 1001.—Mr. Comock killing 30
at the spring, Mr. Sadler 15 at the spring, and 5 dis-
tant ; Mr. Hirst 1 distant, Mr. Procter 2 distant, Mr.
Mitchell 1 distant, 12 birds getting clear. The money
was paid over to Mr. Comock, who, with his usual
liberality, entertained his fellow-companions at guns-de-
combat with a champaigne dinner, which was most sal is•
factorily provided by Mr. S. Barrett, proprietor of the
Ship Hotel, Harewood Bridge.—(From a correspondent.)
DESTRUCTION Or A STATION ON THE LONDON AND
NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—The Batley station, about
seven miles from Leeds, on the London and North-
Western Railway, has been totally destroyed by fire. It
was considered one of the neatest stations on the whole
line and had only been completed a few weeks.
FIRE AT CESSINGTOL e learn from a correspon-
dent that at Cessington, near Bridgewater, a fire broke
out on Saturday last, the 19th inst., in a cottage, the
property of Edmund Broderip, Esq., occupied by a
gamekeeper in the employ of C. W. Tinglin, Esq. The
flames continued to rage with the utmost fury for above
two hours, when they completely burned themselves out,
leaving only the bare walls standing. We are happy to
state that the inmates escaped without injury, and the
furniture were all saved. Great praise is due to Mr.
William Priest, gardener to Captain Graham, who with
his men rendered every assistance with a fire engine be-
longing to the latter gentleman, but all of no avail.
Had the alarm of fire been given sooner the engine
would have been in attendance much earlier. The fire
originated from some sparks from the chimney, and
ignited the thatch roof. The property was insured.
B
BANKRUPTCY OF MR. GEORGE HENNETT.—On Wed-
nesdaya petition was filed in the District Court of
Bankruptcy, at Exeter, against Mr. Hennett, the emi-
nent and well known railway contractor. Although hie
contracts extend all over the kingdom, yet the principal
part of his property lies at Bridgwater, Teignmouth,
and Plymouth, which are within the Exeter district.
Messengers have been sent by the court to take pos-
session of his property, and the case will shortly come
before the Commissioner for adjudication.

THE FRENCH EMPIRE.

Accounts have been received yesterday by tele-
graphic dispatch from Constantinople, of the 14th.
The Sultan has yielded on every point, and the
triumph of Russia is complete. The French Go-
vernment has not published the news to its full
extent, but there is no doubt of the fact.
The Emperor and Empress, on Thursday,
hoboured the promenade of Longchamps with their
presence for some time. The Emperor, accom-
panied by General Canrobert, proceeded on Wed-
nesday, about half-past three, into the garden of
the Tuileries, and walked there for some time.
A telegraphic dispatch has been received, an-
nouncing that a sensible improvement has taken
Place in the health of Marshal St. Arnaud. M.
de Place, chef d'escadron of the etat-major, and
aide-de-camp of the Minister of War, has left Paris
to join him at Hyeres.
The funeral obsequies of the Duke de Padoue,
ate governor of the Invalides, will be performed
to-morrow, at half-past eleven, at the chapel of the
hotel.
M. de Menneval, French Charge d'Affaires at the
Court of Bavaria, arrived on Wednesday in Paris.
The Moniteur publishes another list of 41 per-
Bons, who had been sentenced to various degrees
of punishment for the part they took in the events
of December, 1851, and who are now pardoned by
the Emperor.
The Erigone frigate has just arrived at Brest
from Guadaloure, which island she left on the 23d
of February last. She brings 545 military passen-
gers. At her departure the sanitary state of the
French West India islands was greatly ameliorated,
By the last accounts received from Sydney, a
number of Frenchmen had returned from the gold
diggings, and had demanded from the French con-
Nil to be sent home to their native country.
Perichaud, who was sent for trial before a coun-
cil-of-war for the assassination of the Archbishop
of Paris, has been found not guilty, but has been
sentenced to transportation for having taken part
in the insurrection of June, 1848.
The last news from Constantinople has produced
a favourable impression, and all_ descriptions of
Securities have again risen. The Three per Cents.
Closed at 79f. 85c. for the end of the month ; and
the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. at 103 f. 75c.
The market was again firm yesterday, and the
Itente has improved. - The Four-and-a-Half per
Cents, have advanced 25c., and the Three per
Cents. 35e., the former closing at 103 f. 75c., and
the latter at 79f. 85c. Bank of France shares are
10f. lower, those of the Mortgage Bank 15f. higher,
and, those of the Societe Mobiliere sf. higher.
Roman is higher. Railway Shares are also a
shade higher, but the difference is not very great.
''change on London (short), 25f. The. ; ditto, (90
days), 24f. 90e.