The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-29 00:00:00

BELFAST AND BALLYMENA.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held on
Monday, in the railway-office, Donegall-place-build-
ings, Belfast. The attendance of the shareholders was
numerous.

The Hon. GEORGE HANCOCK having taken the chair,
read the following report:—" Your directors, in detailing
their proceedings, have to allude to the half-year ending
April 30, as no report was issued to the proprietors for
that period, the attendance of shareholders having
been insufficient to constitute a legal meeting under
the Act of Parliament. The last published statement of
accounts was made up to October 81, 1846, when 201.
per share had been called. Since that period eight calls
have been made, making 401. per share up to the present
time. Under the powers conferred by the special meet-
ing of the shareholders, hold on the 26th ot April last,
your directors have succeeded in obtaining loans, for a
period of two years, at six per cent., up to the 31st of
October, amounting to 69,500/. ; and they have every
expectation of being able to procure whatever further
sum may be required, on similar terms, in addition to the
calls yet to be made. Every exertion has been used by
your directors, and the different parties engaged in the
work, to hasten its completion ; and they may state few
railways, of a similar extent, have progressed with the
same expedition. The report of the engineer confirms
the present forward state of the undertaking ; and there
appears no doubt the whole main line and branches will
be open to the public very early in the ensuing year.
The balance-sheet shows the sum of 276,115/. paid up,
leaving an arrear of 31,8851., which, though considerable,
is not more than might have been expected, con-
sidering the state of the monetary affairs of the
country during the present year. Of the entire num-
ber of shares (7,700) there appears only 352 on which a
less sum than 101. per share has been already paid.
Your directors apprehend that the holders of 185 of
these 332 shares are not in a position to pay the re-
maining calls. On these 185 shares the sum of 9851.
has, however, been already paid; so that, even calculat-
ing these shares at the present price, the loss cannot be
estimated above 1,000/. There will be submitted for
your consideration, at the close of the ordinary pro-
ceedings of the meeting, a resolution to confirm the
forfeiture ot 512 shares; and your board have adopted
the necessary legal proceedings against such share-
holders as they consider to be in a position to pay up
their calls."

The engineer's report describes the works as proceed-
ing very satisfactorily, and states that the proprietors
may confidently expect that the line will be ready fur
opening early in the ensuing year.
The balance-sheet shows that the total receipts
amount to 350,1651. 10s. 2d., and the expenditure to
319,819!. 3s. 10d.; leaving a balance of 30,3461. Cs 4d. in
favour of the company.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded by Mr.
W ORKMAN, the directors' and engineer's reports, to-
gether with the statement of accounts, were approved of.
Mr. WORKMAN wished to know whether, independent
of the 51,8471. paid for land, there would be still a fur-
ther sum required for that purpose.
The CHAIRMAN said a sum of about 15,0001. would
still be required to complete their purchases.
Mr. NEVIN wished to be informed whether the balance
of 30,3461., as set out in the balance sheet, was in the
bank bearing interest ; and whether any of it had been
paid away since the balance had been struck.
The CHAIRMAN stated, in reply, that there was a ba.
lance in the Bank bearing interest ; but that about
10,0001. out of the balance set forth ou the sheet had
been paid away since the balanco was struck.
In answer to further questions,

The CHAIRMAN said that the proprietary could not
pay up more than the remainder of their shares without
being subjected to stamp duty ; and that would be
nearly as heavy on 3001. as on I,OOOZ Any shareholder
who wished to pay up the amount of his shares, would
be allowed six per cent. on such payment,
The directors were then re-elected, and thanks were
voted to the Chairman, after which the meeting was
disolvod.

Immediately after the close of the foregoing proceed-
ings, a special meeting of the shareholders was convened,
when 512 shares were declared to be forfeited.

SYSTON AND PETERBOROUGH.—The conductors of the
works on this line confidently state at Oakham that,
should the weather continue fine, that part of the line
from Melton Mowbray to Oakham will certainly be
opened for conveyance of coal, goods, &c., if not, fur
passengers, in the course of ten days. It may fairly be
expected of the railway company, by the inhabitants of
Oakham, that having broken up their canal, no unneces-
sary delay should exist in providing them a substitute for
the conveytince of coals, &c.—Lincolnshire Chronicle.
THE EASTERN COUNTIES.—This company is now
establishing a conveyance for goods and parcels from
the Witham station Maldon, and the token of
Witham and its neighbourhood, through the medium of
horses and vans of their own, under the management of
their own servants, which they have already effected at
all their other principal stations on their lines. This
system appears to have given satisfaction in other places,
and we apprehend it will ultimately (although it may affect
for a time some local interests) produce the same feeling
amongst the inhabitants of Witham and Malden, as the
charges, it appears, are to be on a very moderate scale,
besides which the delivery, no doubt, will be greatly
ex ped i ted.— Chelmsford Cho unicle.
BIRMINGHAM AND OXFORD RAILWAY.—THE Ac-
Tiosis FOR CALLS.—In the action for calls against Mr.
Nash, the defendant has applied for leave to plead (with
other pleas) that he was induced to contract from the
'raud of the plaintiffs; that the plaintiffs made the calls
purposewhich of carrying
chtheyhout
adf ratuainurilerpaeiryfia,rnmdiniglietghe
arlelyw
f°r t
contracts,he
entered into with the Great Western and others, and for
no ther purpose; that, before the making of the calls,
this company, under the Gath section of their Act, 9th
and 10th Victoria, c. 337, sold and transferred to: the
Great Western their railway, whereby it became amal-
gamated with the Great Western lines under that section.
These pleas go directly to the moral conduct of the
directors, to the legality of the contracts of sale, and to
the operation of there under section 69, as to which com-
pany should make the calls.—Railway Record.

A FALSE ALARM—EarIy on Wednesday morning
last many of the inhabitants of New Hall lane, New
Preston, were alarmed by hearing loud cries of " Mur-
der," " Robbers," &c.. issuing from the house of Mr.
James Parker, boer-sePer. On our informant, who was
one of the aroused, hastening to the scene of uproar, he
found a large concourse of people assembled round the
house, armed with various weapons of defence, deter-
mined to give the depredators no chance of escape.
While this was going on outside the house the inmates
were engaged in proseccuting a strict search inside.
After considerable reluctance a man was persuaded to
go down into the cellar (from whence the noise which
had so alarmed them had proceeded), wi'.h a light, and
armed with the long brush. Alter wandering .for some
tuns through the intricate windings of the lower apart-
ments, he came rather suddenly in contact with the
nocturnal visitor, which, on a closer inspection, was
found to be no other than a harmless donkey T. The
poor animal, it appears, had had the misfortune to fall
down the cellar hole. He was assisted out of his prison
and allowed to depart, one of the alarmed venting his
displeasure at being disturbed by mercilessly beating
the beast.—Pieston Chronicle.

TERRIBLE GUNPOWDER ACClDVlNT.—Yesterday
(Sunday) a fearful explosion of gunpowder, by which
two persons were severely injured, occurred at No. 124,
High-street, Borough, in the occupation of Mr. Harris,
a tailor. It appeared that Mr. Harris was engaged in
the first floor front amusing his children, by discharging
small trains of gunpowder on the table—a reprehensible
practice; whilst he was so employed, the contents of the
powder in a flask which he was holding suddenly ex•
pleded, making a noise like the discharge of a cannon,
at the same time terribly injuring one child in the face,
blowing off the flesh of Mr. Harris's right hand, and
forcing the windows of the room out. Several persons
who were passing by at the time. imagining that the
house was on fire, sent for the engines. Mr. Henderson,
the foreman to the D district of the London Establish-
ment, quickly attended with two engines, when, upon
entering the place ho found Mr. Harris bleeding most
cepiously, and the ffesh from his hand sticking upon the
man hadg received, .Owing to the dreadful injuries the unfortunate
el
le: lwinas obliged to baen
sthtaetehoofspsiutafile,riwnhge. d
he
placedtti greateo n a shutterlos of balonoddresmusotvaeirdle
tdo,
Theeacthpresent remains in a dreadful
be obliged to have surgical
assistance. was
also
so
inj assistance. Fortunately the
ured as to
house escaped destruction.
NARROW ESCAPE OF TWENTYCLLIERS.—West-
wiatn its two
with
er on
gate Common Colliery, near Wakefield,
shafts, thirty yards deep, suddenly filled
Wednesday morning, and twenty colliers at wwoart
rowly escaped with their lives. Several months arenesxr-•
peeled to elapse before the water can be removed, and
the lit placed in working order.—Leeds Mercury.
SPECIE.---LIVERPOOL, Nov. 27.—About 40,000
silver dollars were received from Callao this morning on
freight.