The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-07 00:00:00

RAIL WAY INTELLIGENCE.

MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND LISCOLNSHIRE.

The special meeting of the proprietors was held on
Wednesday at Manchester to receive the report of
the investigation committee, and to adopt resolutions
thereon. The Earl of Yarborough presided. The
attendance of shareholders was numerous, and the
chairman and directors were loudly cheered.
The report had been in the hands of the proprietors
some days, and the Chairman called upon Mr. Simp-
son, the chairman of the committee, to give any
explanations that the committee might have thought
it necessary to print on the report. The board had
never had any other object than the good of the
company, and he was glad to believe from the ap-
plause that bad been bestowed that the shareholders
felt that the board had nothing to disguise, nothing
to screen from the sight of the shareholders, became
they felt they need not be ashamed of any act they
had performed.
Mr. SIMPSON moved that the report be re-
ceived, and that the directors be requested to give
early attention to the recommendations. He then
stated that in the notice contained in the report re-
specting the arrears, the committee did not
wish to cast any charge of neglect upon
the solicitors who had care of that part of
the company's affairs. The committee had not
thought it desirable to allude to the extraor-
dinary absence of accidents on the line, but he thought
it was only due to the officers to notice it. He then
alluded to the very large stake which the Noble
Chairman, the deputy chairman (Mr. Chapman), and
two other of the directors had in the undertaking, and
had held unaltered from the beginning ; and to the
liberal arrangements which the journey of the com-
mittee through Lincolnshire had shown Lord Yar-
borough to have made in the negotiations for land.
The CHAIRMAN read a letter from Mr. Jack, one
of the committee, explaining that he was not present
when the latter part of the report was agreed to, and
he did not wish to be pledged to the view there appa-
rently put forth, that competency for the office of
director was to be measured alone by a man's stake
in the company.
Mr. GREIG, another of the committee, replied to
the charge of tameness, and the want of something
striking in it respecting the past, and something
grand as to the future. The committee had invited
information from all quarters, but they had not found
anything whereby they could possibly reflect upon
the conduct of the directors. As to the future, he
held that everything depended upon the Grimsby
Docks; instead of being likely to sink the railway,
they would be its making—its salvation.
Mr. KNIGHT, of Lancaster, said he calculated it
would require 10,500/. a week to pay 5 per cent.
upon their outlay, and he wished for the opinion of
the Chairman, knowing how deep an interest he had
taken in the docks, as to whether the revenue would
rise to that when the docks were completed.
The CHAIRMAN said any opinion he could give
would be only valuable as an individual opinion, and
of course it might be an erroneous one. Give the
railway time, and it would be one they would not be
sorry to have embarked in. His own stake in it
was large, and it was unaltered from the time he
entered it.

Mr. WILDS stated that at a general meeting in
1847 the Chairman, in speaking of the cost of the
line, had said it would be 17,0001. per mile for the
220 miles, and now the committee said it would be
37,0001. The shareholders had a right to ask how
this was.

The CHAIRMAN said the observation he then made
had reference to the line east of Sheffield, and not to
the Sheffield and Manchester.

Mr. GREEN, of Sheffield, produced a report of the
meeting alluded to, issued from the company's offices,
and read sentences in which the Chairman, and Mr.
Holland, of Liverpool, a director, stated that the cost
of the whole works, spread over 220 miles, would be
17,000/. Such statements compromised and damaged
the company, and those who gave the Chairman such
information should be dismissed from the company's
servic

The CHAIRMAN and MR. HOLLAND both alleged
that their observations on that occasion had reference
to the lines east of Sheffield, and not to that west.
Mr. FOWLER, the engineer of the company, by
whom the information was originally given, corrobo-
rated the statement. _ . .

Mr. MAXWELL inquired whether the 37,0001. a
mile would include all the expenses to be incurred in
respect to the lines, or were there to be others ? lie
suggested that the capital account as to the main
line should be closed, and a separate one for the docks
and branches now in course of construction.
Mr. StmrsoN said the 37,0001. included every
estimated cost, and all additions which the committee
thought likely to arise. As to the capital account, he
did not see how it could be closed when construction
was going on.

In answer to a shareholder who objected that an
amount lost in arrears was very large.
Mr. HEALEY explained that that was upon three
calls at least.

The report was then put and carried unanimously.
The statement of accounts, the passing of which
was postponed at the last annual meeting, was then
brought forward, as amended by the committee, and
passed.
On the motion of the Noble CHAIRMAN, a vote of
thanks was given to the Committee.
The CHAIRMAN drew attention to the expense cast
upon railway companies by Parliament in asking for
returns. These had to be prepared by the companies'
servants, at the companies' cost, and shareholders
would do well to take steps to have the costs defrayed
from some other fund than that from which their
dividends were drawn.
After a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was
acknowledged in suitable terms by his Lordship, the
meeting broke up.
The railway is to be opened on the 16th of July.

MOLD RAILWAY.
The meeting of the Mold Railway Company, ad-
journed for the election of directors, was convened
for Wednesday ; but there not being a sufficient num-
ber of shareholders present to constitute a quorum,
the proceedings were further adjourned to the 10th
of July.

GRAVESEND AND ROCHESTER.
The half-yearly meeting of this company was held
on Wednesday at the offices in New Broad-street;
but no business of importance was transacted. The
line, it will be remembered, has merged in that of the
South-Eastern Company.

ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE.—..At the Southwark Police
Court this morning, Catherine Larrey was charged be-
fore Mr. Cottingham with attempting to commit suicide.
From the evidence of a boy named Murray, it appeared
that the prisoner was in company of some boys in a
wherry, and when near Blackfriars-bridge she threw
herself into the water, from which she was rescued by
one of the Thames Police. In answer to the magistrate
she said th© boys were rowing the wrong way, that the
boat jerked, and she was thrown into th water. This
the inspector denied, and stated that the boys were
rowing the right way. The magistrate remanded her
till a future day, in order that further inquiries might be
made.
BLACK BARLEY.—A beautiful specimen of black
barley, healthy and strong in the stem, was brought to
our office for inspection yesterday, having been grown
by Mr. Nixon, at Union Hall, near Lemington, in this
county. The stems are three feet in length, and there
are six rows of corns in each ear. The seeds were sown in
November last, and should the present fine weather con-
tinue the crop will be fit fur the sickle in a very short
time. Not only is the yield prolific, but what is of
great importance to the farmer, it comes to maturity
so early that he will be able to obtain a green crop
after it. The seed was introduced into this dis-
trict by Mr. Rogerson, of the Crown and Thistle
Inn, in this town, last year from Cheltenham, where it
was first grown from a few seeds found in the jacket
pocket of a sailor after his death, but the previous his-
tory of which is involved in obscrurity. Mr. Rogerson
will have much pleasure in exhibiting the specimens in
his possession to the farmers attending our market, and
others interested in the subject.—Newcastle Journal.
VOICES Or THE NATION..--.MODS. Marrast, before
the National Assembly was dissolved, called upon the
representatives to give three cheers for the republic,
which accordingly were loudly given. We must confess
that for months past the news from Paris has not been
so cheering' But, by the by, what should we think if,
when the House of Commons was being prorogued, the
Speaker called upon Sir Robert Peel fur a song? or
knocked down Mr. Plumptre for the Kentish fire? or
hoped the Members would not disperse without first
favouring him with " For he's a jolly good fellow," and
asking Colonel Sibthorp whether he would be kind
enough to lead the chorus?—Punch.
MONEY MARKET.—The premium on gold at Paris
aurgtote ofn goldin is Paris. By advises from
is 12 per mine, which, at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s.
10Id. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of
uwb in
hL the price
prie than 25.45; and the exchange at Paris on London at short
being 25.471, ii follows that gold is 0.10 per cent.
dearer
at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 10P. per ounce for
standard gold, gives an exchange of 13.12; and the
exchange at Hamburgh on London at short being
13 1 li, it follows that gold is 0.23 per cent. dearer in
Hamburgh than in London. The course of exchange at
439 per mark, which,
New York on London is 1081 par cent., and the par of
exchange between England and America being 109 23.40
per cent., it follows that the exchange is 1.08 per cent.
against England. But the quoted exchange at New
York being for bills at 60 days' sight, the interest must
be deducted from the above difference.
A mBERGATE AND MATLOCK RAILWAY.—This line
was publicly opened on Monday. Six trains ran each way
between Ambergate and Hensley, taking the numerous
excursionists to Matlock, Bakewell, and Chatsworth.
GRAY'S IN; JUNE 6.—Sir George Stephen and
Thomas Hughes Greenland, Esq., were this day called
to the degree of Barrister-at-Law by the Honourable
Society of Gray's Inn.
DONEGAL, JUNE 4.—The Acbsah, of Sunderland, for
Philadelphia, in proceeding down the Channel yesterday,
took the ground and remained till the flood, when she
came off and anchored,