The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-28 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—Allow me, through the medium of your valu-
able Journal, to give publicity to the following circum-
stance :

I this afternoon presented at the Branch Post-office,
Charing-cross, thirteen Post-office Orders for the sum
of IV. 15s. 7d., drawn in my favour, and all payable
there ; when, to my utter astonishment, I was told by
the clerk that he had not sufficient funds to meet my
claim.

When, Sir, it is considered that advices had been
duly forwarded to pay each Order at that particular
place, and that an excellent per centage is charged, as
an insurance to guarantee the prompt and faithful pay.
me-nt of all such claims when applied for, surely the
public have a right to expect that ample funds should
be provided for that purpose, and not that they should
be put off with an excuse that is utterly disgraceful to
an establishment possessing so large a revenue as the
General Post office.

Permit me also to call your attention to another
abuse connected with Post-office money orders. For-
merly it was considered quite sufficient for the person
to whom an order was made payable to indorse it on
the back, and it was paid to his servant or friend if he
could not conveniently present it in person. Now no
such indulgence is allowed ; all orders being marked
in large characters, not transferable, and only paid to
the party on his or her personal application. However
great the sacrifice of time, sick, lame, or in prison, go
you must, with one solitary exception ; if the fortunate
holder of a ten or twenty shilling order keeps an account
with it bank, he may pass it through his banker, and
the large capitals which are blazoned forth so conspi-
cuously, are no longer visible to the optics of the Post-
office authorities. I remain, Sir, yours, &c.,
27, Long-acre, Jan. 23. J. HUNTER.

It is confidently expected in the City, that Mr
Joseph SOMC3, the great shipowner, will, together with
Alderman Magnay, serve in the Shrievalty in the Mayo.
ralty of Alderman Pirie next year. The Corperation are
particularly anxious upon the subject, as Mr. Pirie is, from
his charitable and benevolent disposition, one of the most
charitable men that ever appeared in the Court of Alder-
men; and his fellow-citizens are moat desirous of seeing
him supported, during his year of office, by Sheriffs of the
first respectability.

LONDON AND BRIGHTON RAIL-
WAY,-(YESTERDAY.)

The half-yearly meeting of the Directors and Pro-
prietors of the London and Brighton Railway ectnpany
took piaci! yestcrday at the London Tavern, bishopsgate-
street. There was a numerous body of Shareholders
present.

At one o'clock the chair was taken by Joutst HAR-
MAN, Esq., Chairman of the Board of Directors, and
the Secretary read the advertisement calling the meeting.
The CHAIRMAN said the proceedings of their half-
yearly general meeting naturally partook of more in-
terest as the works in which they were engaged pro-
gressed towards completion. It would be his duty
presently to call their attention to the Report of
the Directors, a document drawn up with great care
and anxiety, with a view to furnish them with every
information with regard to the carrying out of the un-
dertaking to its present point. By that Report it would
be seen that that since the last general meeting the Di-
reams had not been idle, and when he now told them
that there would be a further capital required to finish
the works, he had the pleasure or adding that the Di-
rectors did not intend to call upon the Shareholders for
any more money. At that period of the proceedings it
would not be necessary for him to go into further detail
until the Repel t had been read to them ; he should ra-
ther seek an opportvnity later in the day to explain any
matters connected with the Report, and to answer any
questions that might be put to Lim.
The SECRETARY then read the Report of the Direc-
tor., from which it appeared that—
" The Works on the entire Line had been carried on with
vigour, and were in an exceedingly forward state, and the
Directors were enabled to confirm their former anticipoions
of open•ng the Line to Hayward's-heath not later than Mid •
summer next, and throughout to Brighton in the ensuing
Autumn.

" Since the opening of the Shoreham Branch there have
been carried upon it 126,436 passengers. The goods
traffic is greatly on the increase ; and by the end of March
next the station at Brighton will be ready to receive coals,
from which the Directors expect a considerable revenue.
A Company has been formed for the purpose of making
railroad from Worthing, to join the Shoreham Branch ;
and the Directors believe that an application will be made
in the next Session of Parliament for powers to make the
same ; and they confidently hope it will meet with the sup-
port and co operation of all persons interested in t'ne suc-
cess of the London and Brighton Railway, to which it must
prove a most advantageous auxiliary."
With respect to the station at the London•bridge
terminus, the Report stated—

" At the last meeting; the Directors adverted to the state
of the proceedings before Parliament on the subject of the
station at London-bridge. These proceedings terminated
in giving powers to the Greenwich Railway Company to
construct two additional lines of rails to the south of the
present line, from London-bridge to Corbett's-lane, where
the Croydan diverges from the Greenwich Railway; autho-
tity was also given to the Greenwich and Croydon Com-
panies to exchange stations, end the latter Company
is, by another Act of the same Session, empowered,
either in conjunction with the Brighton and South
Eastern, or alone, to procure an additional space for a
station, beyond that which the Greenwich Company is
to provide in exchange for the Croydon station ; the
Directors have considered it advisable, in accordance with
the power given at the last meeting, to co-operate with
the Croydon and South-Eastern Companies in effecting
ibese objects ; and they have for some time been engaged
'in maturing the necessary arrangements. Three members
of each Board have met weekly on the subject, and an
agreement has been entered into fur carrying them into
effect. The substance of the agreement is, that a station
covering the present Greenwich Railway station, with
some other ground adjoining, and sufficient for the pur-
poses of the South-Eastern, Brighton, and Croydon Com-
panies, as a City terminus, shall be built at the joint cost
of the three Companies, by which this Company will not
only cure to itself the advantages of a good and suffi-
cient station at one-third of the cost of making it, but also
at one-third of the cost of maintaining and managinc, the
same, and their interests will be fully represented anipro-
, tected."

Mr. GOLDSMID wished to offer an explanation relative
to au allusion which had been made to him in the Re-
port as one of the Directors, in having filed a Bill in
Chancery against the Company. These proceedings
would never have been instituted if the Directors had
shown that disposition for an amicable arrangement
which they took credit for. He complained that they
had refused him justice, and when an arbitration was
proposed, the Directors, he was given to understand,
had stated that it was their intention to avail themselves
of every legal and technical objection. He was justified,
therefore, in saying that they had shown no disposition
to conic to an amicable settlement, although he still en-
tertained a hope that such would be brought about, and
that the differences between himself and the Company
would be satisfactorily arranged.
The CHAIRMAN said they must all admit that his
position on the present occasion was a painful one, but
he would repeat that every disposition consistently with
their duty to the Shareholders had been shown by him-
self and his brother Directors to meet the wishes of
Mr. Goldsmid. He could not, however, allow the
statement of Mr. Goldsmid to go forth without some
contradiction, and should therefore call upon their
Brighton solicitor to state how the case really stood ;
and if the Proprietors thought they had been too guarded
in protecting their interests, the Directors would bow
to the opinions of the meeting.
Mr. HENDERSON objected to any discussion taking
place on the subject, more especially as it could not lead
to any satisfactory result. He thought it better to
leave the matter to the good feeling of Mr. Goldsmid
and the Directors.
Mr. STOREY thought an opportunity should be
afforded the Directors of vindicating their conduct
against the charges brought against them by Mr. Gold-
amid. If he was rightly informed, Mr. Goldsmid had
received from the land that had been purchased from
him quiatuple what it would fetch in the market.
The CHAIRMAN begged to interrupt the speaker, and
he could not allow him to proceed until he bad ascer-
tained what the sense of the meeting was upon the
subject.
A PROPRIETOR said they had other very important
business to transact, and if the discussion was entered
upon, it would keep them there till midnight.
Mr. STOREY begged to remind the meeting that their
standing counsel was the son of the Hon. Gentleman
(Mr. Goldsmid) who had made these statements, and
with the highest opinion of she honour and integrity of
that gentleman, he thought there were natural feel-
ings which would prevent his acting for the interests of
the Company.
The CHAIRMAN said Mr. Goldsmid, their counsel,
had declined to accept any retainer in the present case.
As Mr. Goldsmid had sent forth a printed statement it
would, perhaps, be desirable to hear the counter state-
ment of their solicitor, Mr. Faithful.

Mr. G. RENNIE thought they ought to hear the
counter statement of Mr. Faithful, and then have the
subject dropped altogether.
After some discussion the question was put, and it

was agreed almost unanimously that Mr. Faithful's
statement should be heard.
Mr. FAITHFUL then entered into a statement, from
which it appeared that in the Act of Parliament it was
provided that a station should be made on Mr. Gold-
smid's property for the Shoreham branch. The site
and quantity of land, and the price to be paid was
agreed upon, and the money ultimately paid to him.
Mr. Goldsmid subsequently stated that the taking of the
coal traffic to the station would be prejudicial to his pro-
perty, and the Committee to whom he made that repre-
sentation recommended the Directors to agree to Mr.
Goldsmid's request, which they agreed to. A convey-
ance of the land was afterwards prepared in the ordi-
nary way, but Mr. Goldsmid's solicitor wished to have a
proviso inserted to prohibit the passing of coals along
the road, or in the event of such being done, that the
covenant should be void. That was of course
objected to; the result was the institution of
these proceedings. AU the concessions which the
Directors had made to Mr. Goldsmid were taken
advantage of, but the Directors were to have no
advantage whatever, while Mr. Goldsmid could, if his
object was accomplished, stop up the entire traffic on
the line. After entering into some further details, Mr.
Faithful concluded by hoping that the Proprietors would
see that the object of the Directors was to protect their
interests, and that they would confirm their acts.
Mr. GOLDSMID said there were many statements
made by Mr. Faithful which he could prove to be
completely erroneous, and lie would add, that if it had
not been for Mr. Faithful's advice the matter would
have long since been adjusted.
Mr. S. J. WHALLEY moved the adoption of the Re-
port, which he did with great pleasure. He believed
no Company had been subjected to so much abuse and
liturKration as theirs, but he believed that no Corn-
parry had had its affairs conducted with so much talent
and ability, and he had no doubt of the undertaking
being ultimately highly remunerative to the Proprietors.
Mr. H. L. SMALL seconded the motion.
The CHAIRMAN, in answer to questions from Mr.
Parsons and others, explained that about 400,0001. would
tromplete the line, instead of 600,000/., as was estimated
at the last half-yearly meeting. They intended to have
twenty-two engines and about eighty carriages at start-
ing ; and if more were required, the Directors would
be happy to order them.
The motion for the adoption of the Report was then
carried unanimously.
The five Directors,' who went out by rotation, were
then re-elected without opposition.
A replution for the' forfeiture of five or six shares
upon which the calls had not been paid up was then
passed.
After some further routine business had been dis-
posed of, thanks were voted to the Chairman and
Directors, and the meeting separated.

AIERTHYR•TYDVIL—THE
IRON TRADE.—
This important trade has been in a most depressed state,
during the greater portion of the past year, which de-
pression continued to its very close. The now year has,
however, opened with a sudden and decided improvement.
The demand is brisk, and large sales have been already
made at an advance of os. to 10s. per ton, the present quo-
tations of Welsh bars on shipment being 7110 d per t0n....
Aluitmouthshire Merlin.

MORN ING 1,1 i) fen 014,1