The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-09 00:00:00

In-
.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

GREAT WESTERN.
A special meeting of this company was held yester-
day at the new station, Paddington, to consider eight
bills now before Parliament. Mr. C. Russell in the
chair.

Mr. Saunders, the secretary, having read the adver-
tisement convening the meeting,
The Caarnseaas said, they had met in compliance
with the Standing Orders of the House of Lords, for
the purpose of obtaining the approval of the shareholders
to such of the bills as had made sufficient prcgress in
Parliament. The first bill he had to submit was " A
bill for enabling the Great Western Railway Company
to make a branch railway to connect the Berks and
Hants Railway with the main line of the Great Western
Railway near Reading ; for extending the time for the
completion of parts of the Wilts, Somerset, and Wey-
mouth Railway, and for reviving the powers for pur-
chase of land for, and for completing other portions of
that railway, and for other purposes." The bill autho-
rised the construction of a short branch line at Reading,
which would be of great importance in facilitating the
traffic to and from Basingstroke and other places, and
enalalliCiiie trains to proceed direct to their destination,
an void the present delay and inconvenience at that
st . The bill also provided for the completion of
iltig.,- So t, and Weymouth Railway—a mea-
thatrha en repeatedly sanctioned by the pro-
tors at r meetings ; and the object of the bill
was to giv to these resolutions, to extend the
time for ing the works, and to authorise the
company t e funds for the purpose.
The Secretary read the heads of the bill, from which
it appeared that two years were allowed for the purchase
of land, and three years for the completion of the
works. The length of the . branch at Reading was
about a quarter of mile, and..the cost 20,0001. ; the
length of the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth lines to
be completed was 76 miles, and the cost about
1,000,0001. Arrangements had been made with the
South-Western Company for laying down the broad
guage for a distance of eight miles on their Dorchester
branch, and, in return, the Great Western are to lay
down the narrow guage from Dorchester to Weymouth.
The CHAIRMAN moved a formal resolution approving
the bill and authorising the directors to take the neces-
sary steps with regard to it, which was seconded by
Lord BARRINGTON.
The Hon. C. L. BUTLER said he would give the mea-
sure his most strenuous opposition, as it would involve
a large expenditure and have the effect, with other mat-
ters, of reducing their dividends to 2 per cent. It was
with the greatest anxiety ne looked on the further ex-
penditure of capital. If they had confined themselves
to their western extensions, he believed they would now
be in the receipt of 8 per cent., instead of 4 per cent.
dividends. He regretted that a general warfare had
been kept up with other companies, and large sums had
been expended in Parliamentary and law expenses, as
he considered, needlessly. There had been serious war-
fare at Leamington between the two companies, to the
injury of the public. There were also a number of petty
actions carried on by the company—a recent one in re-
spect to the loss of a portmanteau, the defence of which
must have cost a considerable amount. He concluded by
moving an amendment to the effect that no more money
be expended on branch lines and extensions.
Mr. BLYTH had great pleasure in seconding the mo-
tion, as he felt that, if the shareholders did not put a
stop to those branch lines, there would be no end to their
liabidties. The time had come when railway com-
panies should cease spending money on branch lines,
and leave the construction of them to the parties inte-
rested in the various districts. It was quite enough for
companies to work the traffic on them when made.
The CHAIRMAN said, the directors fully concurred in
the regret the hon. proprietor had expressed respecting
the warfare that had continued so long between the
Great Western had London and North-Western Com-
panies ; but the directors could assure him that it was
not their fault that it had continued. He (the chairman)
repudiated the charge that the Great Western were
litigious, F S no one regretted snore than the board the
various causes of litigation ; but sometimes it happened
that great principles were involved in apparently trivial
matters, which, if not defended, would entail the loss
of thousands to the company. The various undertakings
in which they were at pre:ent involved had been forced
upon the company in 1847, through the mad popular
feeling that existed at that time for new branches and
extensions. He could produce numerous letters from
shareholders, urging them at that time to oppose the
extensions of the South-Western Railway, and to pro-
mote others. There was not one new undertaking pro-
posed by the directors ; all that they asked was further
power to give effect to resolutions and measures which
the proprietors had over and over again sanctioned at
meetings of the company ; legai procesdings hal been
taken against the company to complete the lint s in ques-
tion, and mandamuses were pending in respect to sonic
of them. The great object of the directors was to make
the 1,500,0001., which had been expended on the Wilts
and Weymouth lines, productive by the outlay of the
1,000,0001. to complete them, all the chief expenses
having been already incurred.
Major COURT begged to say that the present state of
things was entirely owing to the fault of the proprietors ;
they had given their sanction at various times to mea-
sures of which they were wholly ignorant. He (Major
Court) had often on former occasions called upon the
proprietors to pause, and inquire into the various mea-
sures then proposed before they sanctioned them, but
no attention was paid to his frequent warnings, and
hence the present difficulty. He would ask whether the
gross traffic of the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth
Railway would amount to 6 per cent. on the outlay ?
The CHAIRMAN believed there would be a fair return
on the amount they proposed to spend.
After some observations from Mr. Vousley, and ex-
planations from Mr. Saunders, respecting the liability
of the company to complete its engagements to the
public and to Parliament, the Hon. Mr. Butler with-
drew his amendment, expressing himself perfectly satis-
fied with the explanation afforded by the chairman and
Mr. Saunders respecting the necessity for carrying out
the measure proposed.
A resolution, approving the bill, was then carried
unanimously.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN " A bill for enabling
the Great Western Railway Company to provide addi-
tional station accommodation at Birmingham, Wolver-
hampton, and Bushbury, at an expense of 30,0001."
way approved.
The CHAIRMAN said the next bill he had to submit was
"A. bill to authorise the consolidation into one under-
taking of the Great Western, the Shrewsbury and Bir-
mingham, and the Shrewsbury and Chester Railways,
and the union into one company of the three several Co n-
panies to whom the said railways respectively belong." The
agreement with those companies was entered into on
the 28th of September last, and was confirmed by the
proprietors at the meeting in February last. The bill
had been sanctioned by the House of Commons on the
ground of its public utility, and he had no doubt it would
also pass through the House of Lords.
The SECRETARY read the heads of the bill. In reply
to questions it was stated that the share capital of the
Shrewsbury and Birmingham amounted to 1,344,0001.,
of the Shrewsbury and Chester to 1,251,0001., and of
the loans to 488,0001. and 417,0001. respectively,
making together about 3,500,0001. The gross traffic
receipts last year on these two lines amounted to
140,000/., notwithstanding very severe competition,
being equal to 4 per cent. on the whole capital. They
had no doubt the competition would be removed, and
all the risk the Great Western would have to provide
for would be the working expenses, the amount of which
with an increasing traffic would be considerably reduced.
A resolution approving the bill was carried.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, " A bill for enabling
the South Wales Railway Company to acquire additional
land at Swansea, and for enlarging the powers of lease
or sale to and con contribution by the Great Western Rail-
way Company, for authorising arrangements be-
tween the Sout ales Railway Company and the
4
Vale of Neath
.., ailway Company, and for other
purposes,",, was approved. A resolution was also
passed . approving a bill for authorising arrange-
ments s_vjith resps,Et . the South Reserve, at Birken-
head; :Ft for °Mr!. purposes. The provisions in the bill
wese for enabling the Great Western Railway Corn-
pitahf to obtain the Birkenhead trustees part of the
Soups Reserve terminal station, at Birkenhead,
should be req ired.
TheiritarnstaN stared, that the other three bills were
not s ' ntly advanced to be submitted to the proptrie;
ily
torts un r the Wharncliffe standing order, and there or-
it woul e necessary to adjourn the meeting for the con
sideration of ihem to the 22d inst.
In reply to% question, it was stated that they had not
submitted a proposition for subscribing to new schemes
since 1848, with the exception of 175,0001. to the North
Metropolitan Railway, which, whe completed,ld
enable them to convey passengersn
to the General Post-
office, and would be a great advantage to the company.
A cordial/ote of thanks was then unanimously passed
to the chairman and directors for the manner in which
they had conducted the
affairs of the company. The
best thanks of the meeting were given to Mr. Saunders,
the secretary, for his meritorious and zealous services to
the company.
The meeting then separated.

RAILWAY' ACCIDENT.—An accident, which has ter- I
urinated fatally, occurred on Saturday at Darlington.
An inquest was held on Monday, when from the evidence
given it appeared that the unfortunate man, whose name
is Thomas Graham, was employed in reversing the .
fastenings of a coal train, which was lying on the line '
of railway which joins the Stockton and Darlington and '
York and Berwick stations, when an engine and pas-
senger carriage came down the adjoining line on its way
to the Stockton and Darlington station. The driver of
the corning engine whistled as he turned the curve, and
the deceased in his anxiety to be quite safe as the engine
and carriage passed, stooped down. The lines are hered
very close to each other, and in doing so Grahams head
caught in the foot-board of the passenger carriagel as Id
passed, and he was knocked down. The
Medical assistance was promptly rendered,. but in a few
wheebsdpasse
over his thigh and the lower part of his a . omen.
hours the unfortunate man expired. The jury returned
\
a verdict of accidental death.

FIRST CLASS.
First Mathematics, Military Surveying, Second Good
Conduct, and the Pollock Medal—W. Jeffreys.
Second Hindustani--C. M. Browne.
Second Mathematics—C. T. Haig.
First Good Conduct—J. Hills.
French-L-D. Ward.
First Fortification, Second Military Drawing, First
Civil Drawing—J. H. Moore.
First Hindustani—R. Aislabie.
Second Fortification, First Military Drawing—H. C.
B. Tanner.
Latin—H. Pechell.
Second Civil Drawing—W. T. Somerville.
SECOND CLASS,
Mathematics, Hindustani, Third Good Conduct —A.
R. R. Macdonell.
Fortification, Military Surveying, Military Drawing
—E. Jones.
Civil Drawing—M. E. Eden.
French—H. J. G. Gordon.
Latin, Geology—H. R. Meiklejobn.
Fourth Good Conduct— W. J. D. Cairnes.
THIRD CLASS.
Fortification, Military Drawing, Civil Drawing, Mili-
tary Surveying—J. Bonus.
Hindustani—C. A. Goodfellow.
Mathematics—G. Swinton.
Latin—H. Burra.
French—E. Gambier.
FORTIFICATION DEPARTMENT.

After the mathematical examination had finished in

the hall, Cadets Moore, Tanner, Haig, and Baker were
called upon to construct a two-gun battery (scale one
inch to a foot) in a shallow Lox six feet square, two-thirds
filled with moist sand, gahions and fascines to the scale
lying ready for use ; while Cadet Brown was desired to
explain the principles on which Vauban a First System
is constructed ; Hadow, the various methods of retrench-
ing bastions ; and Taylor, the method of tracing coun-
termines. The other cadets were called upon to answer
various questions put by the Public Examiner by which
time the battery was completed, and remarkably well
executed.
After dinner the usual voltaic explosion of 201 b. of
powder in the cold stream was exhibited, but the water
was too low for the customary bridge practice. The
Sand Modelling-hall was the next object of attraction.
A front of Carnot's sptem was explained by Cadet Penny
(one-eighth of an inch to a foot)—a front of the Prussian
system (same scale), by Cadet Ward. Jebb's double
sap (scale one inch to a foot) was explained by Cadet
Prendergast--a sunken 4-gun battery (same scale), by
Cadet Hills ; a very fine model of Mullygaum, a native
Indian fort of great strength (scale quarter of an inch to
a foot), with the attack carried on against it in 1818, was
explained by Cadets Gordon and Fulford. The interest-
ing native fort of Nowa (scale half-inch to a foot), which
was successfully attacked in 1819, was explained by
Cadet Pitt. There was also a design for a sea coast
battery exhibited. The execution of these various models
was admirable. The drawings in this department were
of the usual style.
The gentlemen cadets obtained prizes for their military
drawings.

Subject.

IST CLASS.
Mr. Tanner (Ist prize) Aden
Mr. Moore (2d prize)
2D CLASS.
Mr. E. Jones (prize) Drawings from the Model of
St. Helena.

3n CLASS.

Mr. Bonus (prize) Essays of bill ground.
After the prizes were distributed, the CITAIRUAN
addre-,sed the students. He said,—Although on several
previous occasions we base had a greater number of
cadets selected for the corps of Engineers, yet the
reports which have come from the public examiners, as
well as that made by the Lieutenant-Governor of the
College, are so satisfactory, that upon the whole I have
great pleasure, in the name of the directors of the East
India Company, in tendering to you my best thanks for
your conduct during this term. Your laudable exertions
to take advantage of the different studies pursued here
are highly satisfactory to us. To those gentlemen who
have been selected for the corps of Engineers I would say,
you are but at the beginning of your work. In fact, you
have everything to learn, because as yet the foundation
only islaid. But to all of you who may be qualified to server
am happy to say there is no doubt your services will be
required in India. It is a service deserving of every
exertion to obtain. In India there is great room for
engineers of talent, because now that peace has happily
commenced there has also commenced the greatest
amount of public works which were ever before under-
taken in that country. Therefore, talented engineers
are sure to find plenty of employment, and I hope that
tbose gentlemen who go to Chatham to complete their
studies will do their utmost to qualify themselves, not
only in military but in civil engineering, which is there
taught under Colonel Jones. I can speak from eeperi-
epee, for having been myself a cadet in this institution,
I found that the knowledge which I acquired here and
at Chatham served me in good stead through the whole
of my career. (Cheers.) We have lately heard by the
Government mail of a remarkable work of engineering
which has just been completed in India—thesGangee
Canal, upwards of 900 miles in length, for the purposes
of irrigation. I hope it will be the means of averting
those famines which have hitherto frequently visited
those parts of the country. The canal is a noble en-
gineering work, and I hope all the cadets appointed to
the Artillery who now hear me will remember that this
great work has been planned and carried out by an dB..
cer of the Royal Artillery. I mention this to show that,
though your lot has been cast in the military line, yet
that will not debar you from more purely scientific works,
if you are duly qualified. (Applause.) There is also the
electric telegraph, which has been erected in an incre-
dibly short space of time between Calcutta and Agra,
and in a few months more it will reach to Peshavrur, to
Bombay, and to Madras, thus securing instantaneous
communication between all the presidencies of India. I
may also mention another thing to show that now, when
competition is the order of the day, you must exert your
talents to the very utmost,
for the Engineers' College,
which was established by the late Mr. Thomson, and
which is called by his name, is now attended both by
natives and Europeans, who have evinced a talent ani
industry and an application which it will require all
your exertions to keep up with. (Applause) I beg you
never to forget what an extraordinary thing it is that a
handful of Europeans should govern such a vast terri-
tory as India. I refer to this because I think the re-
flection will lead you to see how incumbent it is upon
each individual among you to uphold the character of
England who, though inferior to tie
in
keen observers of character.
phys im among
strength, the natives,
are
yet
you will find everything in that country different frog'
this ; you will find yourself entirely abroad on your
arrival. Therefore, without their language, you will
not make yourself understood. I must warn yOll
against allowing your faculties to go to sleep. Idlenejle
is in all countries to be avoided ; in India it is peon*
liarly so, because it alone is the cause of almost ()it'll
other disorder. Be careful, therefore, to employ your
time ; have something to employ your attention ; for
in nine cases out of ten the man who puts his shoulder
to the wheel, and determines to be something, is 15110
to succeed. (Applause.) I remember perfectly well
of what use the corporals were in this instlto-
- I hope the Lieutenant-Governor still finds thsir
assistance of great utility to him in maintaining disoip;
line. It ought to he, and I hope it is, the pride of to.
corporals to receive the coegratulations of the IA.
tenant-Governor, and if so, of the Court ofkr:_ac:uar:
also, for their assistance in this arduous task,
f D
be w
without discipline you will never succeed
twee
a üblic
llant offi ho
ng
c.
tnnot obey will never command. Theo
thge
P•
concluded by returning his thanks to
and the professorp
miner, to the Lieutenant-Governor,
oey. (A pplause,)
met the report would be as satisfact b
of the college, and expressed a hope that when they eot
directors to their guestS
sumptuous dejeuner given by
ve
The proceedings of the day were terminated y
Lieutenant G
- the house of the

THE NSAYSPAPER STAMP.—We have reason to believe
that the newspaper penny stamp is (loomed, and that
amongst the ails which will be passed this session we
may enumerate the aboition of this fiscal restriction on
the press. The Attorney-General is reported to haze
said that there were above 100 papers which weekly of-
fended against the stamp laws, and that if be prosecnted
one he must prosecute all The Chancellor of the Az•
chequer said that the question as one of revenue was not
1 worthy of mention ; and, in fact, the matter has bbeseti
left to the Home Secretary, who will soon bring n a
bill abolishing the penny stamp on nomspapers, exoept
for postal purposes.—Liverpool Times.