The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-29 00:00:00

RAILWAYS IN FRANCE

The annexed decree, which describes the nature of
the interference of the French Government in such un-
dertakings, will 6e interesting perhaps to most of those
who are connected with the English railways t
LA W AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION
OF AN IRON RAILWAY FROM PARIS TO
ROUEN.
" Louis PiiiurrE, King of the French.
" Know all to whom these presents shall come, greeting,
" That we have proposed, the Chambers have adopted,
we have ordered, and do order as follows :
" Article 1. The offer made by Messrs. Charles
Laffitte and Edward Blount and Co. to execute at their
cost, risk, and peril, an iron railway from Paris to
Rouen, is accepted.
" In consequence all the clauses and conditions of
the charges decreed on the 22d of May, 1840, by the
Secretary of State of Public Works, and accepted on
the 23d of May by the said Charles Laffitte and Edward
Blount and Co., will receive full and entire execution.
" Art. 2. The Minister of Public Works is autho-
rized to accord, in the name of the State. to the Com-
pany, for the construction of an iron railway from
Paris to Rouen a loan of 14,000,000 f. This sum
to he exclusively employed in the construction of
an iron railway, and the purchase of materials for the
necessary works to carry it out.
" Art. 3. The said sum of 14,000,000 f. shall not be
paid up till after the realization and employment of a
sum of 36,000,0001. at least ; the instalments to be paid
by sevenths, in such order as the progress of the works
shall require, each instalment to be regulated according
to the expenses necessary.
" Art. 4. The rate of interest shall be 3 per cent. per
annum. The reimbursement shall be effected year by
year in 30th parts, and shall not commence till three
years alter the period fixed for the completion of the
said iron railway.
" Art. 5. The Company shall pledge for payment
for the interest and the sum advanced the iron railway
and all its appurtenances, the materials used in the
working, whatever they may be, at any period of the en
terprise. In case the Company shall fail in the stipu-
lated payments, the Government, independent of the
right resulting from the preceding article, is empowered
to receive the revenues of the iron railway.
" Art. 6. In case afterwards another company shall
offer to execute at their cost the continuation of the iron
railway from Paris to Rouen, even to Havre, as in this
case the continuation would be executed at the cost of
the State, the Iron Railway Company from Paris to
Rouen shall be held to execute at their cost, and out
of their common profits, that part comprised between
the branch point upon the line from Paris to Rouen,
and the bounds of the commune of Rouen towards De-
ville, in a manner that the two railways shall form one
continuous line. In this case the Minister of Public
Works shall authorize and grant in the name of the
State an additional loan of 4,000,000 f.
" The loan shall be subjected to the conditions sti-
pulated in articles 4 and 5.
" Art. 7. The contracts to pass between the State
and the Company for carrying out the present law shall
be regulated by Royal ordinances. These contracts
shall fully show the mortgage, upon the iron railway,
upon all its appurtenances, and upon all the materials
for working. The mortgage deeds shall be made in the
name of the judicial Treasury agent.
" Art. 8. The Acts to pass in virtue of the present
law shall not be passable but with a fixed duty of 11.
" Art. 9. The contractors shall not distribute shares,
or promises of negotiable shares, to assist in the cost
of the construction of the iron railway from Paris to
Rouen, until constituted a society duly authorised, con••
formably to the 37th article of the Code of Commerce.
" Art. 10. From the regulations of the public admi-
nistration, rendered after the contractors shall have been
heard, shall be determined the measures and orders
necessary for the police, security, usage, and preserva-
tion of the iron railway and all its dependent works.
The expenses arising from the carrying out of these
measures and of their disposal will be defrayed by the
contractors. The contractors shall be authorised to
make, under the approbation of the Administration, re-
:;ulations which they may think necessary for the woik-
ing and completion of the iron railway.
" Art. 11. Provision shall be made for the advances
authorised by the present law upon the extraordinary
resources designed to meet the expenses comprised in
the second section of the Budget of the Minister of
Public Works. The present law, deliberated and
adopted by the Chamber of Peers and by the Cham-
ber of Deputies, and sanctioned by us this day, shall be
executed as a law of the state.
" Given in command to our courts and tribunals, pre-
fects, administrative bodies, and all others, that these
presents they will protect and maintain, will keep them
protected, observed, and maintained, and, to render
them more public to all, will make them public and
register them with all necessary care, and in confirma-
tion whereof we have hereunto put our seal.
" Made at the Palace of the Tuileries, the 15th of
July, 1840.

" LOUIS PHILLIPE.

" By the King,
" The Secretary of State for Public Works,
" COMTE JAUBERT,
" Stamped and sealed with the Great Seal."