The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-12 00:00:00

•
ettrtf *Lc!, 2,0.0

,SUN OFFICE, Seven f; Clock

EAST INDIAN RAILWAY COM-
PANY.—(THIS DAY.)
A meeting of the shareholders of this company was
held to-day at the London Tavern, to receive the report
of the.directora and to transact other business. Present,
Sir G. Larpent, Chairman ; J. Baxendale, Esq. (for-
merly Chairman of the South-Eastern Railway Com-
pany) ; Sir J. Campbell, K.C.H. (Deputy Chairman of
the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Com-
pany) ; C. D. Bruce, Esq.; J. Catley, Esq. ; Major- Ge-
neral Caulfield, C. 8.; J. D. De Vitre, Esq. ; J. Pascal
Larkins, Esq. ,• Captain Alexander Nairne, E. II- Pal-
mer, Esq., and J. Stewart, Esq.
The CHAIRMAN, after the notice convening the meet-
ing bad been read, said that was the first meeting of the
shareholders that had been held since their company
was formed, therefore be had to read to them the ra-
port of the directors, which he would now proceed to do.
The CHAIRMAN then read the report, from
which it appeared that the affairs of the company were
proceeding very favourably; that ve East India
r eryadvantageous
terms had been entered into with th
Com-
pany, and concluded by a strong recommendation of the
line to the support of the shareholders. The Chairman
then read a statement of the traffic estimates, from which
it appeared that the total of goods carried on the Gan-
ges in 1844-5, was 2,115,885 tons, and along Mirzapore
railroad and Damooda river, during the same period,
was 110.474 tons. Tke passenger traffic betweeu Cal-
cutta and Mirzapore was 570,000 tons per annum. The
goods traffic between Mirzapore and Delhi was 446,851

tons.
The CuantalAN then said, such was the report which
the directors had to lay. beforeth.! shareholders, which
gave not only a narrative of thproceedings, but ad-
nsed the company to adopt a certain course, and he
thought they ought to take that advice, when they
looked at the gentlemen who composed the body of
directors, and who were joined with them in their
undertaking, consisting of officers in the civil and mili-
tary service of India, as well as the merchants in this
country, whose experience would so materially contri-
bute to the success of their undertaking. 'the firEt
object with which they were entrusted was to obtain ss.
per share, and that experiment had realised 22,0001.
This comprised all the expense that they had contem-
plated. Not less than nine hundred miles of
railway had been surveyed by engineers, sent
out from England at a great expense, in ten months,
which showed not only the economy of the
management, but also their vigilance. (The Chairman
here read a correspondence that had taken place on the
subject of railways in India, which set forth their prac-
ticability, and spoke most favourably of the line of the
company.) He thought he had now established two great
points, namely, the practicability of railways in India,
and that the company's line was the best. He would
now advert to the terms proposed by the East
India Company. He had always thought that
railways in India should, if not actually under
the control of the Government there, should at
least be identified with it. He must say that, in his
negotiation with this body (the East India Company),
he had found every disposition to meet the views
of the company. He was unwilling to enter into
any discussion upon this part of their affairs ;
but he must say that the inconvenience that had taken
place in the ultimate settlement of the affairs of the
company was in no way attributable to the East India
Company. He would now call the attention of the
company to the cost of the line, which, as la commercial
specula ion, must occupy a very important place. 17,000 L
per mile was the cost that they had assumed, and
when they looked at the cost of the railways
in this country and in France, he thought they
should not be considered as having been extrava-
gant. They had taken 10 per cent. for certain pecu-
liarities of the country. Eight per cent. was the amount
taken by the Oriental Steam Nasigation Company.
(The Chairman having read a correspondence to show
that the want of railway accommodation was felt in the
East Indies, continued)—He thought he was therefore
justified in stating that the accommodation at present
aff,rded to - Ind:a in the way of transit was
somewhat like what it was in this country some years
ago—that of a pack-horse. He was satisfied that,
whether or not this undertaking was carried out,
railway travelling must be 3 shortly adopted in India.
Great stress had been laid in the report upon the
advantages which this line would confer upon the
Government of India in a political point of view.
There could be no doubt .that it would effect a
great deal in this point of view, for in the case of
any disturbance arising there was a quick mode of trasesit
for European troops by the establishment of the pre-
sent line. Besides, the great mortality that prevailed
among the soldiers, and which was in a great degree
owing to the want of speedy transit, would be prevented.
He would now refer to the terms which the East India
Company had offered. Four per cent. was what they
had offered, but though that was more liberal
than what other Governments had- offered in
railway speculations, he hoped they would be able to
make better terms. After some further observations,
the Chairman concluded by proposing that the report
should be received, adopted, printed, and co.culated
among the shareholders, which was unanimously carried.
Thanks were voted to the chairman and other direc-
tors, ter the zeal and ability they had di.played in the
discharge of their duties, and a reso!ution confiding the
rui.ure matiageteees cm mu UM WES or roe company to
their hands, was agreed to unanimously.
The meeting then separated.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four r,'elock.
EAST SOMERSETSHIRE RAILWAY.
Mr. BANNERMAN presented several petitions
against this raiN ay.
WILTS AND SOMERSET RAILWAY.
Lord DUNCAN presented petitions against this rail-
way.

BELFAST IMPROVEMENT BILL.
This Bill was read a second time.
WINDSOR, &e., RAILWAY STATIONS.
Mr. WYSE presented several petitions against the
Windsor and Staines Railway Stations.
WILTS, SOMERSET, AND WEYMOUTH
RAILWAY.

Mr. SEYMER presented several petitions against
this railway.
GREAT WESTERN PROJECTS.
Mr. H. BARKLY presented several petitions against
these projects.
NORTH-WESTERN PROJECTS.
Sir A. H. INGLIS presented several petitions against
the projects for these railways.
SCOTCH REGISTRATION BILL.
Mr. BANNERMAN presented a petition against this
Bill.

GOVERNMENT EDUCATION BILL.
Mr. DUNCOMBE' presented a petition against tl.is
Bill.

RAILWAYS REGULATION BILL.
Mr. STRUTT presented a petition from 1,400 of the
principal merchants and traders of the city of Glasgow,
in favour of the Railways Regulation Bill.

NEiv
Lord CHARLES RUSSELL took the oaths and his seat
for the county of Bedford.

SCOTCH REGISTRATION BILL.
Mr. LOCKHART presented several petitions from
Scotland against this Bill.
GOVERNMENT PLAN OF EDUCATION.

Mr. TB,LLA WNY presented several petitions against
this Bill.

NATIONAL DISPUTES.

Dr. BOWRING presented a petition from Newport,
in the Isle of Wight, in favour of arbitration in national
disputes, instead of an appeal to arms. The Hun.
Member also presented three petitions from Dissenting
teachers in Bolton against the Government education
plan.

GREAT WESTERN PROJECTS.
Mr. SPOONER presented upwards of a hundred peti-
tions against the several projects of the Great Western
Railway Company.
Mr. HUME presented a petition from the provost and
corporation of Addington praying for the repeal of the
inventory stamp tax.
EXAMINERS OF PRIVATE BILLS.

Mr. 1111 ME gave notice that to-morrow he would
move for leave to bring in a Bill authorising the SpeakQr
to appoint examiners of tha proceedings of all private
Bills nefore the House.

REGISTRATION BILL (SCOTLAND).
Lord G. BENTINCK prt aimed several petitions from
Ayr and othwr places in Scotland, against the Registra-
tion Bal. (scotland).
rrVERNMENT SCHEME OF EDUCATION.
the 4oIcIveAraTIIESON presented four petitions against
Education Scheme from Dissenting
Conegrew,
ig ne
Abbott.t at Ashburton Buckfastleigh, and

ANATOMY ACT.
Mr. F. FRENCII presented a petition praying for
inquiry into the operatton and working of the Anatomy
Act.WASTE LANDS IIIi)ROVENIENT BILL.
Mr. LABOUCHERE postponed the Waite Lands
Improvement Bill until to-mo.rrow (Tuesday) week.
EDUCATION.
Mr. WILLIAMS presentnd u petition from a place
near Coventry against the Govo:nment scheme of edu-
eatio n.

MEDICAL OFFICERS IN TIIE ARMY,
On the order of the day for going into Committee of
Supply being read,
Sir H. DOUGLAS begged to call attention to
the arses of medical officers, surgeons, and pay.
masters of regiments, who have not been included in the
warrant issuer in July, 1846, consequent upou the motion
-made in April, 1815, for an improved retirement to a limited
number of medical cfrieers, and all officers of regimental
staff, to extend to them in limited numbers, the bene-
fits conferred by warrants dated 1840 to limited numbers
•of officers of ail other briine'nes and arms of the ser-
vice ; which motion appeared to receive the unanimous
,approbation and support of the Committee, and was
only withdrawn on an express assurance that the pro-
p osition, for an improv, d retirement to all officers of
igimental staff, would be taken into favourable con.
4,.dera tion. lie was deeply impressed with the
mat:amity which had befallen the sister country,
-and he would feel a great difficulty in recommending
, toy measure which would embarrass the Government at
I ,he present moment, but the act of justice which he re-
the Chancellor of
c omreended would not be of such. a description; and he
I was sure that if his Thighs Hon., Friend
would be very much
t be Exchequer were present he

I surprised at the smallness of the amount of
money requisite to perform this act of 1
rthat
justice.
He would tell the Right Hon. Secretary at War
this demand on the public purse would not,atth
Ithe
utmost, exceed 1,3001. per annum. He would state
briefly to the House the caseof thaosweawrrhaonset iwntaeareisatasuhede
advocated. In the year 1842
officers
ango
fa
the
el
infantrypa yreti r em
ande n
ot a tvoa
ler yI. i m
Ti t
he d e
rne u
wmbereer ;of
lieu tenan t-c olorneevlest niajor
, 20 majors,
Thisan b
d 115 captains, w
a ext extended
eodf
whom were brevet
soon after to the cavalry, the engineers, and the
mssrines. To the officers of the latter corps was granted
permission to go on in the service, which, however,
was not permitted to the cavalry and infantry. He
thought that such a difference ought not to have been
made. The boon cost little or nothing, and he said that
it should in his opinion be extended likewise to the '
officers of the cavalry and infantry. It was, however,
extended to them at length, but the officers of the regi-
mental staff, the surgeons, the quartermasters, the pay-
masters, and the veterinary surgeons, were still ex-
cluded from its benefits. In 184.5 he had given
his opinion upon this exception, and the Hon.
Secretary at War who was then in office
promised that some alteration should be made. In 1846
a warrant was issued, granting an increased retiring
allowance to the quartermasters and veterinary sur-
geons, to the exclusion of the paymasters and surgeons.
The maximum pay of a surgeon on full pay after thirty
years' service was 11. 25., while the retiring pay allowed
them when they left the service was 15s. a day. Now,
what he wanted was to make the retiring pay of the
surgeons and paymasters in the army 18s., instead of
155., as at present. This was a very small increase,
indeed. This arrangement would, to a certain extent,
be self-sustaining. At present, when one of these officers
retired he was allowed 15s. a day, while the party who
succeeded him got but 12s. for the first five years at
least. There was, therefore, an actual saving in this
arrangement. But, he would ask the House, under such
a plan who would consent to retire and take 15s. for
11. 25., and give up in addition the barrack allowance,
servants, attendance, coal, candle, &c.? This in addition
was equal to 10s., so that the actual pay was about
IL 12s. a day. The consequence of this system was
that the surgeons, rather than retire, cling longer to
their appointments than was consistent with good service.
The Hon. Baronet then read certain letters from offi-
cers in some of the regiments of the line in support of his
position. Having granted a boon to the quartermaster, the
House ought to extend the same jusiice to the paymaster,
but with regard to the surgeons and medical officers
of the army, in their case the claim was stronger. An
army surgeon had arduous and difficult duties to perform;
distressing scenes were continually passing b, f ,re his eyes,
and 13 years was generally the extent of his servitude.
It would appear, from the returns, that that service of
the surgeons had been altogether overlooked. He
might teke all the returns which had been made to the
Government, and of these he might cite the ser-
vices of Mr. Lewis, of the First Dragoon Guards,
who had served for thirty-nine years. He
might also cite those of Mr. Stevenson, of .the
Third Dragoon Guards, who had given forty-one years'
service as well as of several other gentlemen who had
been injured by the present rules of the service. He
ought also to say, that they had to complain of the posi-
tion given by the present regulations of the service. Ac
cording to these regulations the surgeon was to
receive three shillings a day, whereas the pay of a regi-
mental lieutenant colonel was eighteen shillings a day.
Then as to medical rank, it was always made subservient
to regimental service, and not only were the men de-
prived of their advantages as regards rank, but as
affected pension also. The Hon. Baronet then went
into the several gradations of rank, but showed that while
the pensions for a regimental officer for a forty years'
service were 60/., those for a medical officer were only 601.
Tae Gallant Member then proceeded to read a letter
which he had received from the widow of a medical
officer who had served in the Peninsula and in the West
Indies, stating that she had lost her husband in the dis-
charge of his professional duties, but that the
pension which ought to have been given to her
by virtue of the relative position which her husband
held in the service, had not been paid to her, and
that in consequence she, with her three orphan chil-
dren, had been reduced to the most distressing situation.
He would now conclude, and he sincerely hoped that in
bringing this question before the House he had not spoken
in vain.

Mr. F. MA ULE had only a few observations to make
on the subject. His Hon. Friend complained that the
warrant issued in 1846 had not included certain cases of
medical officers, surgeons, and paymasters. He (Ur.
F. Maule) did not think that the arrangement so lately
made should be disturbed. With reference to the
case of paymasters, his Honourable Friend said
then that he had no fault to find with the arrange-
ment as far as the paymasters were concerned.
There was no question that the paymasters had con-
siderable duties to perform which required serious at-
tention, but at the same time it was scarcely fair in
arranging retiring pensions to place them on a footing
with those who risked life and limb in the service, and
who at all times were required to perform arduous duties.
He found in looking to the provision made for them pre-
vious to last year, that their half-pay was only 12s. 6d.,
and by the warrant of last year it was raised
to 155., so they had received a certain benefit.
He did not mean by anything which he at present said,
to preclude himself at a future time from considering their
case further. With reference to the surgeons, their case
was more worthy of consideration, and he did not
mean Ito use the word in an invidious sense; they
rt ct-c vv.vi,ki auvat, aluvua ace
(Hear, hear)—and he was, therefore, inclined
to look with a more favourable eye upon their claims.
There was a general system of promotion among the
medical officers of the army already existing, and in his
opinion the subject brought forward by the Hon. and
Gallant Member was one which ought not to
be viewed apart from public considerations and
the finance of the country. During the course of
the present year her Majesty's Government had
made a sacrifice for the benefit of the army
of the sum of 50,0001., by the abolition of
the poundage of the pensions of the soldiers.
Other great ;alterations were made, or proposed to be
made, calculated to improve the condition of the soldier,
and he could assure the Hon. and Gallant Member that
the Government would give its fullest consideration to the
subject, and any alterations which could be beneficially
introduced would be brought forward upon the earliest
occasion, with, however, a due regard to the public ex-
penditure of the country.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. HUME thought that in regard to the pensioners,
the Government had acted wisely, but he was not dis-
posed to agree with the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. F.
Maule) respecting the brevet. He considered that that
was money thrown away, without producing any
benefit whatever. They had so many demands at
present on the public purse, that they should 'be cau-
tious what they did. Still, if it could be shown that any
one had been unfairly treated, he thought he should be
redressed, so as to deal equal justice to all. He considered
the warrants should be produced, and then it would be
seen what were grounds on which the distinction was
made.

Colonel LINDSAY quite agreed with the latter part
of the observations of the Right Hon. Gentleman as to
the conduct of the late and the present Governments in
attending to the c: mforts of the solCier3. Still be
thought the lion, and Gallant Member ter Liverpool
had made out a strong case for placing the surgeons
on the same footing as the other officers in the service.
Sir DE LACY EVANS regretted that this was the
course of the English law, for if it had been otherwise
there would have been some reason fur allowing the
claim which now had been made. With respect to the plea
that was made for medical officers, he must allow that it;was
subject that was fairly cognizant for military purposes.
His Hon. Friend the Member for Montrose was mistaken
when he supposed that the British army was much more
ex pensive than the French. The fact was, that the
maintenance of the French army cost considerably more
than that of England, while the service performed by the
British army was more severe than that of the French.
There was another point to which he would allude.
Those gentlemen who had been so mueh concerned
in the repeal of the Corn-laws last year dwell on the fact
of the statement that the armed professions were
unproductive classaes. The great master in political
economy, Mr. M'Culloch, had given an opinion directly
the reverse. He maintained that the soldier and sailor,
were magistrates by protecting the rights of the com-
munity, and were experimentally useful.
The motion was negatived without a division.

(LEFT SITTING.)

TATTERSALUS-THISMVENING.
6IX O'CLOCK.

SOMERSETSIIIRE STAKES,
5 to 4 on Clermont
2,000 GUINEAS STAKES.
4 to 1 agst The Liberator (taken)
7 to 2 agst Conyngbam (taken)
CHESTER CCP.
15 to 1 agst Mendicant
16 to 1 agat Dulcet
16 to 1 agst The Lamb
:5 to 1 agat Newcourt
40 to 1 agst Plaudit
40 to 1 agst Emerald Isle
40 to 1 agst Inheritress

METROPOLITAN HANDICAP.
4 to 1 agst Clermont
10 to 1 agst Jenny Wren
10 to 1 agst Wolf-dog
12 to 1 agst Rufus
10 to 1 agst Emerald Isle (taken)
15 to 1 agst Gannet
DERBY.
6 to 1 agst Planet
15 to 2 agst Van Tromp
15 to 1 agst Glentilt
:1600
tttoooll 15 agstags
gt a C
War t
Aoniiye Enr
tgaoghnani
.._305 to 1 agst Mr. Martin

MELA.Ncn
try morning,
c0t...............—___......-.........AciDENT•_011
saturd
the 25th ult., altr
of the parish of Iliratttlejulin
young roan, p,,tera
ifew minutes past six o clock, as a
on the Inches, , 24 }ears of age, a native
~,,a i'n,
theerPloyed in one of the saw-mills
saw at which he wrough, liret' of
itr,,,eautiously took hold of
stopping the circular
the shaft, and part of his el,
bweeotniawghicth it was
wife and two children.
entangled,
dragged his head down on theeBs
almost cut in two. Ile has left a a ' by
—Elgin Courant.
LEICESTER TRADE.----Me have again a dull wee
to report, although the receipt of some Continental
or‘d'eeerk
is one gratifying feature, as is shows that the demands
from that quarter has commenced. The home demand
is still very slack. The American orders are now gene-
rally expected in the course of the next month ; and it is
hoped that they will bear some proportion to the increased
amount of business has been daing with the States lately
in bread stuffs. Wools and yarns remain very steady,
notwithstanding the slackness of trade.—Leicestershire
Mercury.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Gloucester, April 10.
CIVIL SlDE.—(Beforo _ Mr. Justice MAULE and

Special Juries.)

CHRISTY AND OTHERS V. POWELL, PIDGEON, AND OTHERS.
Mr. Sergeant Talfourd and Mr. Gray were Counsel for
the plaintiffs ; Mr. Whateley and Mr. Selfe for the de-
fendant Pidgeon.
The plaintiffs, as trustees of the London Joint-stock
Bank, recovered judgment for the sum of 2,0031. 2s. Bd.,
damages and costs, on the 25th of August, 1843, against
Walter Scott, the public officer of the Newcastle-upon-
Tyne Joint-stock Banking Company. In January, 1846,
that company suspended payment, and the present suit
was a proceeding by scare facias upon the judgment
against the defendants as shareholders in it. The test of
the writ of scare facias was the 6th November. Powell
allowed judgment to go by default. Pidgeon, who alone
appeared now by counsel to defend the action,
pleaded " that he was not, nor is he now, a member
of the company, in the manner and form IS in the
declaration alleged." The plea of the other defendants
was to the same effect. The main question in the
cause was whether Pidgeon was a shareholder. On
behalf of the plaintiffs, a transfer of 250 shares in
the Newcastle Bank, in the month of September,
1843, to Pidgeon, by one Thomas Richardson, an original
shareholder, and which transfer was signed and sealed by
him (Pidgeon), was given in evidence. Upon this trans-
fer the name of Pidgeon was entered and registered in
the books of the bank as shareholder ; and it was proved
that three dividends were actually paid on his written
authority. His name appeared in the register of share-
holders lodged at Somerset-house, under the 7 George
IV., cap. 46, and it still appeared on the books of the
batik as that of a shareholder. The deed constituting
the company was put in, and it contained the following
clause:—" That every person to whom shares shall be
transferred, and who shall not then be a member of the
company in respect of any other shares, shall, as to all
duties, obligations, claims, and demands upon or against
him in respect of such shares, be considered a member
of the company from the time of the same shares being
so transferred or so becoming vested in him ; but as to
all profits and rights, privileges and benefits to arise
from the same shares, such persons shall not be consi-
dered as a member until he shall have executed the deed
of settlement, or some other deed of accession thereto."
It appeared that Pidgeon had not executed the deed of
settlement, or any deed of settlement thereto.
On the close of the plaintiff's case,
Mr. WHATELEY submitted that as the defendant (Pid-
ge •n) had not executed the deed of settlement, and that
deed:deprived all mere transferees who bad not executed
it of all right to the profits of the company, and various
cases had decided that a community of profit was essen-
tial to constitute a partner, Pidgeon was not one, and
consequently the issue, member or not member, should
be found for bim.

Mr. Justice MAULE said that this company was not a
corporation, or constituted under any Act of Parliament,
but in effect an ordinary partnership, and although con-
stituted by deed, there was nothing to prevent the com-
pany from coming to any new agreement they pleased,
by parole, to vary the terms of the partnership; and that
although the deed might hare had the effect of prevent-
ing Mr. Pidgeon from having si,y claim to receive a share
of the profits of the company as between the members
themselves, yet when the company dispersed in practice
with the effect of the deed, and allowed him to receive
his share of the profits, and to be registered both in
their own books, and in the public register at Somerset-
house, as a shareholder, it did not lie in the mouth of
Mr. Pidgeon, or of the company, as against the
public, or those persons who might give credit to the
company, to set up the terms of the deed, or to say
that he was not a shareholder. He felt not the smallest
doubt upon the subject, and he should direct the jury
accordingly.
His LORDSHIP then told the jury that the question for
them was whether, upon the evidence before them, they
were of opion that the defendants, or any of them, were
members of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Joint .stock Bank-
ing Company.
Mr. WHATELEY raid he should except to this ruling, on
the ground that his Lordship should have told the jury
that, upon the evidence before them, they could not find
a verdict against Mr. Pidgeon. The question was one of
the greatest possible importance, and in reality involved
surx of upwards of 200,0001., and would be, if neces-
sary, brought before the highest court in the realm.
The jury then found for the plaintiffs against all the
defendants. The bill of exceptions is to be drawn up
her eater.