The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-13 00:00:00

BELGIAN EASTERN JUNCTION should be lost in vigorously proceeding with that pars
RAILWAY. tion of the lice which air. Bala- has recommended as
An extraordinary general meeting of the poprie- the first to be commenced, and the cost of executing
tors and shareholders of the Belgian Eastern June- which will, according to his estimate, be more
tion Railway took place on Saturday, at the London than covered by the capital now at the disposal of
Taverns-for the purpose of receiving the report of the the company.
directors with respect to the present state of the " There are many reasons besides which appear
company's affairs, and also to take into consideration to point this out as the most eligible course to be
the course to be pursued for carrying out the objects adopted.
of the undertaking. " The apparent certainty of receiving a consider-
Sir Frederick Smith took the chair shortly after able per tentage upon the projected outlay would, of
one'clock, and, the usual preliminary business having itself, be sufficient, but when contrasted with the
beet) Tope through, enormous loss consequent upon the sacrifice of the
The SECRETARY read the following report of the caution money, in addition to the other expenses that
direotori, amid some laughter and confusion : have been necessarily incurred, can scarcely leave a
" This company being now lawfully constituted doubt that this is the most eligible course to be pur-
undesaAlaeir Acte de Societe, which received the royal sued ; and even on the supposition of the corn-
assent on the 2d of August, and was promulgated in pany being ultimately unable to raise sufficient
the Gdyernment journal (the Moniteur Beige), on the funds to complete the whole line, after having ex-
6th a that month, the directors have taken the earliest pended upon it the capital now at their disposal,
opportunity of calling the shareholders together, for it may reasonably be expected that, in that
the aairpose of laying before them an exposition of case, another company would be Ciund will-
the ir. affairs. ing to purchase the concession together with
"The shareholders are already aware, from the re- the works, at such price as would entail a sacrifice
portsmitle to them on the 25th of March, 1846, that bearing no' proportion to the loss( s above alluded to;
the whole of the 42,500 shares into which the capital and, if that portion of the line which can be completed
of the company is divided, were allotted, and that with the funds in hand, :should prove as productive as
upon- 32,025 of those shares deposits were paid, thereby your engineer anticipates,ihe effect will be to improve
realising the sum of 80,0621. 10s. your property so substantially, as to enable you, either
" The directors were at that time advised that the by calls or loans, to raise sufficient moats to carry on
defaulters might be legally compelled to pay up their the works to their final completion. In one case you
deposits, and it was a matter of grave consideration will make a total sacrifice of your caution money,
whether proceedings should be taken for that pur- and in the other it will have been released and em-
pose, but *the directors eventually came to the ployed in such a manner, as even in the most unpro•
conclusion that it was not expedient to resort to such piteous event, to give you a reasonable prospect of
a step:, until the operations of the company were recovering, if not the whole, at least a large portion of
farther advanced, when they thought it not impro- the amount.
bable that confidence in railway undertakings might " For these reasons the directors are unanimous in
be restored, and the necessity for compulsory measures recommending you to proceed at once with the works,
be thus wholly superseded. so far as the funds in hand will enable you to exe-
",The amount, therefore, of the company's receipts cute them.
under that head has not been increased since the last " The directors lament that, on this occasion it
report. The total expenditure, up to the present should be a part of their duty to communicate to you,
time, amounts to 24,4361. 16s- 6d. and the liabili- the death of their able and zealous colleague at Brus-
ties to 2,2511. 6s. sels, the late Colonel Beuckers to whose judicious
" The particulars of these sums, as well as the pre• exertions may, in a great measure, be ascribed the
sent state of investment of the surplus funds, will be successful result of their negotiations with the Bel-
found in the annexed account, from whence it will be gian Government on the subject of the concession and
seen that including the caution money, there remains of the Acte de Societe. This gentleman died in July
at this moment a balance of 55,963/. Os. 9d. available last, almost at the moment of concluding these nego-
for the purposes of the undertaking. tiations, after a lengthened illness and much suffer-
"Cdritiderable delay was unavoidably incurred in ing, which were greatly aggravated by his incessant
settling the terms of the Acte de Societe with the devotion to the affairs of the company.
Belgian Government, but, as every provision to which "In order, therefore, to give efficiency to the local
the directors and their legal advisers attached any committee at Brussels, and to supply as far as pos-
seridus importance was eventually conceded to them, sible the loss which the company has sustained in the
they feel that the time occupied in preliminary dis- death of Colonel Beuckers, the directors have ap-
cussion has net been expended in vain. pointed M. Graben, of Brussels, a very able and in-
k', In accordance with the 16th article of the Cahier telligent gentleman, to succeed him as chairman of
des Charges, which required that the works should that committee, and they have arranged with Captain
be commenced within a given period, that formality Logan, who has joined the direction, to proceed to
was duly complied with on the 15th of July last, but Brussels, and form one of the committee there. This
no:further steps have yet been taken for proceeding latter gentleman is, in the opinion of the directors,
with them, with the exception of preparing the peculiarly qualified for the duties which he has under-
working plans, on which Mr. Baly, the company's taken.
engineer, is now engaged. The plans and sections "The shareholders are aware, that since the di-
and other details, required by Article 2 of the Cahier rectors had last the honour of meeting them in this
des Charges to be submitted to the Minister of place, they have lost the assistance of their late col-
Public Works, were duly delivered to him within leagues, the Marquis of Winchester, Mr. Garnet,
the period prescribed, and there is every reason to Mr. Head, and air. Hopkinson, these gentlemen
believe they will receive the sanction of the Belgian having retired from the direction."
Government. Arrangements have also been made for After a lengthened discussion, in which the feelings
the necessary contracts. of the proprietors present was markedly expressed to
4lt will be gratifying to the shareholders to learn be in favour of the immediate dissolution of the corn-
that the anticipations of the directors on several im- pally, and the return of the money in hand, and an
portant particulars announced in their former report endeavour to obtain back from the Belgian Govern-
have been fully realised. In that report it was inti- ment the caution money, the following resolution was
mated that the good feeling manifested towards the moved by Mr. Head, seconded by Mr. Craddock, and
company by the Belgian Government, afforded carried unanimously :
grounds for believing that the result of the then " That it is the unanimous wish of the present
pending negotiations would be the acquisition by the meeting that the undertaking should be abandoned,
company of additional lines, ancillary to those pro- and the company dissolved, and that immediate steps
mised by the original convention, together with an be taken for obtaining a return of the caution money,
offer of certain valuable options. and that for the purpose of considering and reporting
" The following comparative statement will show on the above objects the chairman and deputy-
how well founded was this belief, and how success- chairman of the company, with .Sir J. Carmichael,
fully the negotiations then pending with the Belgian Mr. Chapman, and Mr. Head, be appointed a corn-
Government were brought to a close : mittee for that purpose, and that the meeting be
"ORIGINAL CONVENTION. adjourned to the earliest possible period to which the
"Ist. The line specified in the original provisional committee can make their report.
convention extended from Manage by Wavre, as far The CHAIRMAN, in putting the resolution to the
as Landen, with a branch from Nivelles to Braine le meeting, said that due notice would be given of the
Comte, the execution of the whole of which was period when the committee were ready to make their
made compulsory. report.
"CONCESSION ACTUALLY GRANTED BY THE CHAMBERS. A vote of thanks having been carried to the chair-
" Ist. By the concession the execution of that part man, deputy-chairman, and directors, the meeting
only of the line, which extends from Manage to separated.
Wavre, and which is the portion most approved of
by Mr. Stephenson, as well as by Mr. Baly, the ere
gineer of the company, is made compulsory, and while
the power is still reserved to the company of extend-
ing the line to Landen as originally designed. The
following important options are added, viz. :
" Ist. Of joining the State line at Vertryck, in-
stead of at Landen.
" 2dly. Of extending in this case your railway to
the line about to be made between Diest and Hasselt.
"idly. Of joining the State Railway at Neer-
winden instead of at Landen.
" 4thly. Of effecting a communication with the line
running along the valley of the Cette with the State
railway at Tirlemont, by means of a branch line from
Court St. Etienne to Maleves.
" sthly. Of the additional and very valuable privi-
lege of constructing a branch line from the neigh-
bourhood of Genappe to Luttre, which will have the
effect of bringing this line in direct communication
with the Sambre and Meuse Railway, by means of
the southern branch of the State line. The directors
feel that in the present state of the money market, and
with the present aspect of railway affairs, this is not
the moment to discuss the advantages of the options
thus granted to the company, but still they are anxious
to draw your attention to the traffic tables and report
furnished by Captain Logan as well as to the report
of Mr. Baly, in reference to the great importance of
the branch to Luttre, it being a branch in immediate
connexion with that portion of the line, the execution
of which is compulsory on the company.
" From the foregoing statement it will be seen that
the company are now in this position, that with in-
creased powers for the outlay of capital, if they think
fit to exercise them, they may still reduce their out-
lay to considerably less than one-half what was stated
in the prospectus, if the pressure of the times or other
circumstances should make it expedient to do so
Notwithstanding these facilities, it having been
thought desirable, in consequence of the continued
depression in the money market, to obtain an exten-
sion of the time allotted prescribed by the Cahier des
Charges, for the execution of the different portions of
the line, the president addressed a letter to the Minis-
ter of Public Works on the 14th of last month, di-
rected to that object.
"The following translation of the answer he re-
ceived from the Minister affords grounds for the
belief that the request contained in this letter will be
substantially complied with :
"'Brussels, July 15, 1847.
"' Monsieur le President,—l have received the
letter which you have done me the honour to address
to me under the date of the 14th of this month, in
which you request—
" First, That the extension of the line which has
been conceded to your company shall be considered
optional as regards that portion of it which extends
from Feluy to Wavre.
" Secondly, That the period fixed by the terms of
the Cahier des Charges for the completion of the
works shall be extended.l
" The former of these requests does not appear to
me to be capable of being entertained, inasmuch as
it would prove destructive to the very basis of the
concession, and besides, if admitted, would induce
the consequence of substituting for the line which
has been conceded by the Legislature, a line much
inferior in extent, and much more limited in its ulti-
mate objects.
" With regard to the demand for an extension
of the time prescribed for the execution of the rail-
way, it must be admitted that, taking into conside
rition the time that has already elapsed since
the passing of the law of concession, as well as the
difficulties consequent :on the ;financial circumstances
of the times, the company, can with
c diffice disposedult
y
dis-
pense with this extension, I shall thereforeha b
to make a proposition for it to the Chambers, the more
so as a parliamentary precedent maybesides be cited
in its favour, which ought, in my opinion, to lead to
the completion of the line, in favour of which the pre-
cedent was established, not only more securely, but
even more promptly than if the coercive measures
authorised by the Cahier des Charges had been put in
force.
" But lam not enabled to speili positively as to the
limit that may be assigned to this extension, &c.
"' I cannot, however, conceal from you that the
request, that this extension of time should be for a
period of ten years, appears to me to be upheld
neither by the extent of the enterprise, by the circum-
stances of your position, or by the magnitude of the
works executed.
" Receive, Monsieur le President, the assurance of
my most distinguished sentiments.
(Signed) " DE BAVAY,
Minister of Public Works.'
" The directors beg to lay before you a report fur-
nished by Mr. Baly, the company's engineer, which
will explain his views as to the portion of the line
which should be commenced in the first instance.
"The traffic tables which have recently been com-
piled by Captain Logan, who has been specially re-
quested by the board to undertake this important
matter, and who has gained most valuable information
by personal inquiries in the immediate localities, will,
with the assistance of his report, point out to you the
advantages consequent upon the execution of the va-
ions portions of the projected line.
" Under all these circumstances, although the con-
tinued scarcity of money renders it inexpedient in
the judgment of the directors to make a call at pre
sent, yet they are decidedly of opinion that no ti'6l,
r

THE BANK or ENGLAND.—Notice was issued on
Saturday at the Bank of England that a general court
of directors will be held on Thursday next, the 16th
instant, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, to consider of
a dividend. This will also be one of the quarterly
general courts appointed by the charter.
DIFFICULTIES OF A NOBLE DUKE.—Within the
last few days a great sensation has been caused in one
of our English countit s by a series of legal proceedings,
of the most rigorous nature, taken against a Noble
Duke. Ilis Grace has himself, with a portion of his
family, hurried off to the Continent, and is not expected
to visit England again for several years. The princely
establishment of the Noble Duke is completely broken
up. An attachment has been laid on his personal
effects wherever they could be come at. His pack of
hounds, and even the poultry in his yard have been .
attached by the creditors. The liabilities fbr which
these proceedings are taken are said to have been chiefly
contracted during his Grace's mut quisate. The parties
at whose suit the proceedings are taken arc a wealthy
Jewish firm in the metropolis, remarkable for the mag-
nitude of their monetary transactions. The heir to the
ducal coronet, a member of the new House of Commons,
is said to have added very materially, by his expensive
habits, to the incumbrances of the family estates, and it
is confidently stated in private circles, that a Noble Earl,
who recently received the aid of the Duke's influence in
a memorable electioneering contest, is the holder of
bonds for loans to his Grace to the large amount of
50,000/.—Gbserver.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF PLATE.—On Saturday
afternoon the police route furnished the following rob-
bery of plate to an extensive amount. It appeared that
Mr. Burns, an auctioneer, of Stratton-street, May-fair,
came to town on that morning early, and requiring
breakfast, the butler was in the act of preparing it, when
to his astonishment he discovered that the various bags
in which the spoons, teapot, and other articles had been
deposited were missing, and wooden models left in their
stead. An inquiry was set on foot, but the under butler,
who had charge of the property was not to be found.
Messengers were sent to Vine street station, and on In-
spector Wall arriving at Mr. Burn's house, some of the
duplicates of the stolen property (in amount about 2001.)
were discovered. Subs,quent information proved that
the under butler had decamped, and the electric tele-
graph on the Birmingham line was immediately put in.
requisition.
DEPLORABLE OCCURRENCE.—Yesterday morning,
about half-past one o'clock, William Neary, the night
pierman at Blackfriar's-bridge pier, was told that a man

had jumped off the bridge iiito. the water. He imme-
diately rowed to the spot but could not find any one. He
therefore returned to the pier, where ho took a couple
of police-constables into his galley; they then returned,
and on examining the piers they found blood running
down the first, on the lower side of the Surrey slid of
the bridge. With the light from the policeman's
lantern they were able to sue, crouched between the two
pillars of the pier-head, a man who was dreadfully
wounded. They could perceive that one side of his face
was battered in, and that he was unable to stir. It
being then flood tide, they were unable to get nearerA
than seventeen or eighteen feet to th?easruffearsecre.nded
ladder, however, having been procured,
and, sYilter consi-
it, whilst the policemen held the
h manoe ,
lospital. The sur-
geons,and removed to St. Bartholomew's I
dwearsa b!e
loweredtron bilen,toantdb
the
tbonnot. little i
ep:brasosoant:ablerni risk,
tthaes
severely i .jured, that little
and that he was otherwise
soof his recovery. The unfor-
tunate could be entertained b d
e Beecham, and it is said
upon examination, pronounced his thighs broken,
is connected with a highlyerda7theer curious importation, by s
e sv i zs.q,
square,
re each considerableim p
impressed
dbewr i
tohf
respectable family.
tunTahteerme
Dawtoactskhnsisamatime in the warehouses of the S.
hieroglyphic characters, no doubt setting forth the name
bKraicasarineains
of the mfaraebkmoeurtßauntsediranatcheh' of manufacture. Some of them
are represented as having formed a portion of the cele-
brated Tower of Babel ; there are also several portions
ov
ef r
ed statuesnoiwenunisttethrli
ienobprri
etbeetrl
eatoi igkel
ty3ht.mphe%
%here,
eiircl marble, basalt,lapecerh,rreosaijaecacharacters,
er s
,o r a n
d granite,
to
those
o eachs
e versed
c o.
and
largec
Ah Arabic
an
caseshtei
er esat
of books
languages,.
og
et
kii!
aiinnddam i
whichut
manuscript
of much
must have cost an immense sum and many years
in the collection. The whole are, it is ex
in-
tended for the British Museum. If such should be the
dock
case, they will form a very valuable addition to that in—
stitution, and prove there, as at the expected, s
subjects ot
great interest. It is much to be regretted that the vessel,.
having got on shore during her voyage, the books have
been much damaged, but can no doubt be restored to
such a state as to render them intelligible.
EXTRAORDINARY Fox CsiesE.—Friday morning
aboutgre a t
at
ihst:
the inhabitants of Bath-street were surprised by the
a number of men and boys.
neighbourhood, chased by
the chase too close for him, took re-
, Reynard, finding
cg- haotu sieu,ll tosixtehde
appearance of a fox rununbilni
fuge in the Chequers p
quietude and
of the worthy landlady her family. Search.
being made for
the varmint, he was found to have en-
sconsed himself in the bar amongst the ginger beer
bottles, and with which he made some havoc. Some
difficulty was now found in dislodging master reynard
from his quarters, but by the aid of ropes and a pair of
tongs he was ignominiously ejected, and borne eft' br
his captor. We understand that the animal escaped
from the premises of Dir. Knote, of the Abbey Green...-.
Bath Herald.
THE FIRE AT BANSTEAD.-.-The destructive fire
which broke out on the premises of Messrs. Nelson and
. Kenward, on Banstead Downs, last Friday, continued to
. burn the whole of Friday night, and it was not extin-
guished until Saturday at noon. Fortunately, the mills
and other buildings escaped. The following is Mr-
Braidwood's official report of the damage done:—" Four
stacks of hay destroyed, one stack of cats, one ditto ot
tares, one of wheat, cue of barley, and a waggon con!
I__ Burned. Cause of fire unknown."