The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-25 00:00:00

TROTTING MATCH AGAINST TIME.

One of the most extraordinary performances ever,
perhaps, attempted with success, came off at Slough on
Tuesday last. A pony only 12 hands and 1 inch in
height, 6 years old, the property of Mr. Watkins, of
Windsor, was matched, and backed for a large sum, to
trot 14 miles within the hour. Sums to a very consider-
able amount were depending upon the event. The pony
started a few minutes before three o'clock at the mile-
stone between Slough and Salt-hill to the Dumb Bell,
near Maidenhead, and back, performing that eight miles
in 331 minutes, viz., the first four miles in 17 minutes 14
seconds, and the second in 16 minutes 16 seconds. It
then went three miles, out and in, to the place of start-
ing, and accomplished the last six miles in 26 minutes,
winning the match in beautiful style, and as fresh as at
the onset, but with only 30 seconds to spare. The pony
was ridden by a boy 14 years of age, and weighing only
641 b. Looking at the Lilliputian size of the nag, the
distance covered within the hour, and the way in which
the little'-un got over the ground, causing the riders of
many good-looking horses, double its size, to give in after
accompanying it for the first eight miles, this perform-
ance may be considered one of the most extraordinary
upon record. The owner, on the ground, offered to back
him to perform 15 miles within the same time.

The whole town was shocked on Friday at learn-
ing that the Venerable the Archdeacon Hutchins was no
more ! This lamented clergyban dined on the preceding
evening with his Excellency the Governor, and soon
after ten o'clock quitted the Government house in his
usual excellent health and spirits. He rose at bis or-
dinary hour, about seven in the morning, and while in
the act of dressing fell to the ground, and almost instantly
expired.—Hobart Town paper.
THE WEATHER IN RUSSIA.—The Moscow
Gazette says, that the eac2ssive heat which has prevailed
during the whole summer in the government of Kishoma,
has caused extensive fires in the forests, which continued
till the middle of September in spite of all the exertions
made to stop their progress, and that they did not cease.
ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA.--FOr the past
few days we have experienced all the severity of winter,
the thermometer at times ranging two degrees below
Zero. With this frost, however, the atmospherehas been
generally clear, and often the sun has shone with un-
clouded brightness, contrasting strangely with the cold
looking azure around. It is, perhaps, to be considered
a remarkable circumstance that both on Monday and
Tuesday nights repeated flashes of vivid sheet lightning
mingled their fitful gleams with the glittering stars which
nubt hyeaeansi
rrkotb Somerset
HONESTY
egrihst
et
nnat
gne.
hlskason, .
u—dbs.
be -perceived
poAarenkfr
After
ee.ri
dißEWAßDED.—OnHerald.seeeds
studded the heavens, and for the instant overpowered
gen-
tleman called a cab, 1,910, off the rank in the Strand
obt
nh driveoe 1 t , gentleman
withttheth e
ends of some Bank notes hanging out of it, lying at the
bottom of the cab among the straw. He directly ran
after the gentleman and gave him the pocket-book ;
when he said he was an honest fellow, as there was
upwards of 2.000/. in it, and gave him sixpence, and told
him he would see him another time.
ST. LEONARD'S, SHOREDITCHo—On Tues-
day evening a Vestry Meeting of this parish was held in
the Vestry-room of the Parish Church, for the purpose
of voting addresses to her Majesty and their Royal titriandp
hodicomk, 0
,Te,ntt-uesday a gen-
occasion High-
nesses Princen of
t h
eAI
birthbe rteafnadn theil e i
vApparentDuchess of
tKent.n the uponrri.
the Rev. T. S. Evans, vicar, in the chair; huhtesi ir c) tnh ee,
con-
sequence of the attendance of the Chartists•transdnaecdt:Z
Benlay, Solomon, and Dyson, no business was
they having moved an adjournment.
RUPTCY.—PubIie meetings were held at the W t Hart,
the Commissioners
MESSRS. HoonouSE AND CO.'s,hißeANlE-
on Tuesday and Wednes6day, before
when dig. I posed of various
the Messrs.further
complicated claims and questions arising under the bank-
comp Gunpnroinogeofßdeeabdtes,, Batchellor,d.asnd Dowding, fur
the two days for debts, amounttng
trine of 221,2581. 18. lci.
the sum of
making a total proved to this
ruptcy. About 180 additio.nal
tperoeotfhsewvteores , filedss 91. during
the
above
outstanding assets, and at one of . _ meetings
The assignees have shown great activitytiie in getting in the
mof . , 00/.,
they applied to the
,Commissioners and obtained authority
making withl.lxoe,lourterbebriolrels thesu
invested,
2_5,000/. thus disposed of for the purpose of a dividend.—
for investing
Bath Chronicle, of Thursday.
thein
The Directors of the London and Birmingham
Railway Company have established at their great central
station, at Wolverton, an infant school and day school
for boys and girls, the children of their artificers and
servants at that place. They have also provided a read-
ing room and library ; and on Sunday next, a
chaPel •
licensed by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln, will be opened
for divine service.
JUDGE LEFROY —We have heard, from a
well-informed Tory quarter, that the Duke of Northum-
berland held up his hands in utter amazement, on learn-
ing that the Government hail determined to make Mr.
lefroy a Judge, and that his Grace exclaimed "This
is, indeed, too had. If Mr. Lefroy really be a Jude,-g
as the Orange organs have boasted, why has he not taken
his seat ? The Packet tells us Baron Foster has consented
to vacate the Exchequer, in order to make room for Mr.
Lefroy, of course, as the junior Baron, the Learned Ve-
teran having abandoned practice these ten years. If so,
why does he not take his seat in the Exchequer, and
why does not Mr. Foster, if he has ceased to be a Baron,
make his appearance iu the Common Pleas, where he
should become the Junior Judge also,- although he is, or
had been, third Baron of the Exchequer ? We beg that
the Mail or Packetwill yourhsafe an answer 'to these
questions.—Dobitn Evening Poet.

EVENING SUN

SECOND EDITION

SOUTH EASTERN RAILWAY.
(rms DAY.)
The half-yearly general meeting of the Proprietors of
this Company was held this day at the London Tavern,
for the purpose of receiving the. Report of the Directors,
together with that of Mr.. Cubitt, and a general state-
ment of the accounts from the Secretary.
Mr. BAXENDALE took the Chair at one o'clock, and
called on the Secretary to read the advertisement calling
the meeting together.
It was then moved that the common seal of the Com-
pany should be attached to the register of the Directors,
which was agreed to.
The Secretary then read the following Report of the
Directors :
" Since the Half-yearly Meeting in May last, the
progress which has been made in those portions of the
line between Tunbridge and the junction with the
Brighton railway has been such as to confirm the opi-
nion then expressed by the Directors, that that district
may be opened for traffic before the next Half-yearly
Meeting of the Proprietors.
" The contract for ballasting the line and laying. the
permanent way between Redstone-hill and Tunbridge
has been some time in operation, and there is reason to
believe that the eastern portion, about eleven miles in
length, will be completed before the end of the year,
leaving about nine miles to complete, which the Con-
tractor is under an engagement to finish early in the
spring of 1842.
" Under the recommendation of the Engineer-in-Chief
the Directors have adopted certain improvements in the
form and description of sleepers, chairs, and fastenings ;
they have also substituted, in lieu of iron pins, treenails
of compressed oak ; and from the experiments which
have been tried on that portion of the permanent way,
which has been laid for more than two miles, over which
the locomotive is daily passing, they have reason to ex-
press their perfect accordance in the principle, and their
approbation of the result.
" Eastward of Tunbridge, for a distance of thirty-four
miles, the line has been contracted for, and the works
are in progress. A large portion of the brickwork on
that part of the line intended for the next opening has
been finished, and the contractor is bound to complete
and open the line to the Staplehurst Road, a distance of
twelve miles east of Tunbridge, by the Ist of July, 1842.
" That part of the line from the Staplehurst-road to
!AshfOrd, a distance of fourteen miles, is let to a respon-
' •stlite contractor, to be opened in the year 1842. At
this'point the Dover traffic will come upon the line, being
a distance of twenty miles from that place.
"Beyond Ashford another contract has been let, ex-
tending over nearly seven miles, the earthworks of which
requiring same time to co.nplete, it has been deemed ad-
visable to commence them at the present time, in order
that their completion may be effected by the time the
line is in a condition to be opened to Folkstone.
" The works in the Dover district have continued to
advance steadily and satisfactorily. The Warren and
Fiilkstone contracts have been completed to formation
level, and arrangements have been made for driving the
''lStiltWOod Tunnel and other works in that district.
' The Directors have the satisfaction to state that the
Works have sustained no injury from the continued rains
to which they have been subjected ; the embankments
being nearly closed, the late wet weather has been of
e)nsiderable Service in consolidating them ; they have,
however, instructed Mr. Cubitt to prepare a Report on
the subject of the works, which will be submitted to the
meeting.
"The whole of the land from Redstone-hill to Dover
ha 4 been contracted for, awl in addition to the amount
already paid under that head, as shown in the accounts,
there remained on the Ist of October last a sum unpaid,
amounting to 53,0911., a portion of which has since been

paid.
"Of the 400 shares forfeited at the last meeting, fifty
were redeemed on the following day by payment of the
calls then due, and nineteeone were sold at prices real-
izing More than was owing upon them. There are now
1,405 shares in the hands of the Company.
"By Resolutions of the Board, dated Aug. 17 last, the
Directors declared forfeited 7,372 shares, which were
-I =then iirarrear ; since that date payment has been made
on 2,513 share:;. Arrangements have been made for the
payment of others, and, unless between this period and
the day of meeting the remainder be redeemed by pay-
ment of the calls, a resolution for confirming the declara-
tions of forfeiture will be submitted to the meeting.
" There are, however, other cases in which the Di-
rectors. have considered it more to the advantage of the
Company not to forfeit the shares, but have adopted
legal proceedings for the recovery of the arrears, and
they have reason to believe that in these cases the whole
will eventually be recovered.
" The necessity of increasing the proposed accom-
modation at the London-bridge station has been such,
that it became imperative on the Directors to co-operate
with the Brighton and Croydon Companies in its enlarge-
ment, and they doubt not that the Proprietors will give
credit fur the attention and assiduity of the managers in
carrying `out the works.
" Ou referring to the accounts of expenditure by the
Directors, it will be seen that payments have been made
to the extent of 18,304/. 3s. 4d., on account of the joint
station at London-bridge. It is desirable that provision
ehould be made to repay the amounts thus advanced from
- -
the funds of thie Company, and also to provide for the
future payment of those which will be required fur that
object, and as power has been granted to raise the sum of
120,0001. fir the express purpose of the station at Lon-
tion-!),.-idze, it is proposed to submit to this meeting
a resolution authohsing the raising of that amount, or
Shy pnifeaf it, agreeably- to the provisions :of the Act
under which such poWer wns given.
In concluding their Report, the Directors desire to
express thcirunabated confidence in the soundness of
their undertaking ; convinced, as they are; that, whether
regarding the (nest of the line, or the expected traffic re-
sulting therefrom, it must sooner or later prove itself
entitled to a better position:than it now holds in the rail-
way world.
"The annexed:account of the receipts and expenditure of
the Company shows a balance in hand of `26,3611.55. ld."
London, 25th November, 1841.5' : •
The statements of the receipts and expenditure up to
Bst October last were then reade showing receipts
788,852/..25, 94., and expenditure 762,490/. I7s. Bd.,
leaving a balance in the hands of the Company of
26,361/. ss. ld.
The SECRETAitY then read the Report of Mr. Cubitt,
from which we make the following extract. After stat-
ing his belief that the line might be opened to Tunbridge
during the-rnenth of May next,-as stated in former Re-
ports, it continued thns
rtiSi nee the last General Meeting in May, the works
1 Red Hill and Tunbridge have been unremittingly
`1!"1 el pus e forward ; and, but for unexampled wet weather
during the whole of the last month, all the embankments
,upon, that 20 miles of line would have been joined and
• completed up to formation level ; as it is, however, there
due's not remain a month's work to complete all the em-
bankments ready for ballasting ; and, setting aside the
delay, the works are in a much improved state, from the
embankments having been well soaked and consolidated
'before being ballasted, thus ensuring a more perfect rail-
way in the tiret instance.
" It is satisfactory to report that ample stores of bal-
listing,"of it:most excellent quality, have been found along
the line, 'several miles of which, between Tunbridge and
Etlenbridgea are already ballasted, and about three miles
pii:inneent way laid, on which the locomotive engines
of Messrs. Betts..(the contractors for ballasting and lay-
ing the permanent way) are at work night and day, with
the intention 'of completing, if possible, a line of perma-
nent way from Tunbridge to Edenbridge—a distance of
ten miles—by New Year's Day.
The Tunnel at Bletchingley is completed. with the
exception of its ends and entrances, and the whole will
he completed and ready for the Rails 'by Christmas • by
which time also, Or the first week in January, I expect
' the ballasting and laying the permanent way will be
commenced at the juaction with the Brighton line, near
Red Hill.
"From the we have now• had of the per-
manent way, as regards the efficiency of the sleepers,
chairs, and fastenings for the rails, I trust the Proprietors
will have every reason to be satisfied with that important
part of this railway, whether considered with regard to
eif deney, first cost, or ultimate maintenance of
way,
wet
storm's, of the storm, high tides,and
weather prevalent during the last- month, various state-
meets were put forth in the public papers relative to the
cifects of the rain and high tides upon different parts o'.
the coast, and which were set forth in such a way as to
oiesto.
induce the readers to suppose that injury of some kind,
or to some extent, had occurred to the works
rail-
way now in progress between Dever and I,on fne the
" Under theta circumstances, therefore, I deemed it m
y
duty, previous to the gencral meeting, to go to Dover
examine into the state of the works there,
and personally .
as well as on the other portions ot the line. In accord-
ance with this feeling, ard accompanied by your Chair-
' man, we devoted nearly the whole of the
last week to the
objects of this inquiry; commencing at Dover and going
over every portion of the line where works are in pro-
gress, from thence to Red hill at the junction with the
Brighton line.
" It is therefore with much satisfaction, I can most
unequivocally state, that in no one instance have the
. storms, hieh tides, or heavy rains, injuriously affected
the works -of this railway; but (setting aside the loss of
time occasioned thereby) have in some instances been
attended with advantage.
At rove:, it is true, the extraordinary high tides
have interfered with the general Coast Line both east
and west of the town, but not to a greater extent than
h :s occurrad at former periods ; and it is also true, that
the late very heavy rains have acted upon the Chalk
Cliffe so as be cause portions of them to fall, but this, as
iega-ds the zihakqrare Cliff, where- the falls have prin-
Ay occurred, hes no interference with the Railway
Works, as the elialeereare Tunnel was driven through
and at
the back of that promontory for the very purpose
of avoiding such casualties:- And' as regards the falls of
chalk on the other parts of the Cliff connected with
the wort. a, none have- occurred but where the same was
in course of being removed in trimming down the
Cliffs to a safs slope, or where it has all along firmed
- pare of our plans to have it removed ; and inonecase,
the point or promontory of chalk between the west
entrance of the Shakspeare Tunnel and the commencement
of the sea. wall, I have had plans, sections, 1 •
prepared for its removal for more than t anti
e'timomnatltiess
,
and nothing but the ersat cost (from 8,0001. to 10,000/0
combined with the! and expectation that it would
come down of itselflinpe time, and the circumstance of
wanting the Toeona, more in the Tunbridge division,
deterred me from
ha
a- am happy, however, having it removed before this time. I
• :itteomiti„. dew to find that my expectations as to
a fa even without help are likely to be rea-
,"3;alfzed'Airieee the ensuing winter, and thus a large expense
. anti the fzesa• .7tLthe
perfee tly i bare. i Cliff at' that point rendered
sgete•theour great wort;, the
agratifying to me to be able to
sea wall, which is in various
states of pi-egress in
different parts has withstood all
the storms and high tides, and without injury, and