The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-17 00:00:00

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(YESTERDAY.)

GROUP XII.

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RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
GROUP No. I.
The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of
the Bills comprised in this group, re-assembled in Room 30,
at the usual hour this morning; Lord Granville Somerset in
the chair.
THE SOUTH-EASTERN SCHENCESd
The
The evidence in favour of these lines was resumed.
first witness called was Mr. E. Ellis, a ssd,io leisualetaivruounrmuofnigheer
of Maidstone, who gave general evidenceu
nd Filmer, M.P.
Mid Kent line • as did also Sir Ea.
Mr. James 'Macgregor, Ch
urdrdmman of the South-Eastern
progress of the company.
Company, related the history
The first dividend paid was ain October. 1844, amounting
and the last. in October, 1846,
only to 16s. 6d. p
amounting to 17sierpe sr
for
share,
amounting e. In 1845, the charges to the
first class from London to Dover,
public in August were,
18s. 6d. ; second, 6d.Subsequently
12e. ; Ind third, 7s.
the fares were reduced to 15a. 6(1. for firet class, arid 10s. for
second, on the whole distance, with the view of developing
the traffic, while the third-class trains were doubled, two
express trains per diem were put on, and an extensive day
ticket system was adopted, and all for the advantage and
accommodation of the public. This experiment was made
for three months, but it did not succeed ; in fact, it
resulted in a serious loss to the company, indeed to
no less an extent than 20,0001. upon the whole year.
The company was, therefore, compelled to re-adjust their
fairs, and at present they stood thus :—First class to Dover,
163. 6d., second 125., and third 7s. 4d. Upon the comparison
. with the charges on other lines it would be round that on
thirteen of the principal lines the average was 1-75th, while
on the South-Eastern it did not average more than 1.63 rd.
On the Brighton the average was 1-70. If the lines the com-
pany had now before the Committee were granted, he was pre-
pared to pledge himself that the maximum charges for
passengers on the line should he—for express 2-75ths per mile,
for first 2-25ths per mile, for second 1-65ths, and for third
Id. per mile. With regard to the charges for goods, a state-
ment upon that head would hereafter be submitted to the
Committee. Competition in railways could never be main-
tained in Kent, and he thought it highly desirable that the
Committee should discountenance such a principle. It had
been openly denounced by Mr. Grenfell, the chairman o
the Brighton Company himself, while speaking at one of
his own meetings of the absurdity of their attempting
to compete with the South-Western Company for
Portsmouth traffic ; but, indeed, upon all hands it was ad •
mitted that a well -regulated monopoly in railways always
proved more advantageous for the public than competition.
Hitherto the South-Eastern Company had been struggling
with severe difficulties, but it was now approaching a state
when it could: afford almost every amount of accommoda-
tion to the public. These extensions, it was true, would
render a great portion of the main line useless, but although
the undertaking in its early career involved an immense out-
lay of money, these new lines and extensions would amply
repay the shareholders fur the risks they had already
run for the benefit of the public. With regard to the ex-
tension of the line from Canterbury to Dover, that
was, in his estimation, a question of time. He fully ad-
mitted the expedience and utility of such a line, and was
prepared to pledge the South-Eastern Company to construct
it, so soon as the works they were, he hoped, about to under-
take should be completed.
Mr. Macgregor was cross-examined by Mr. TALBOT. The
cross-examination was confined almost exclusively to the
question of raising the fares. All, however, that it elicited
was, that on one or two occasions, shortly after the reduction
of the fares, Mr. Macgregor admitted at a meeting iu Canter-
bury, and at a meeting of proprietors, that the experiment had
so far succeeded beyond previous expectation ; while in eh.
Morrison's committee, one of the officers of the South-Eastern
Company (Mr. Wheatley, the accountant) made the same
admission. The long or through fares were settled by the
board of directors, but the intermediate fares were fixed by
the local officers, who were previously put in possession of
the views of the directors on the subject. He denied that
the board had recently contemplated raising their charges on
parcels. It was true, that a new order had been issued,
altering the mode of charging, but not raising the charge.
Mr. TALBOT said he should require that the minuteebook
containing the note of the change should be produced.
The COUNSEL for the South-Eastern Company said it
was hardly fair that the director of one railway com-
pany should be allowed to go rummaging over the pri-
vate books of another company. His Learned Friend
should have a certified copy of the minute he referred to,
namely, 4th December, 18 i 6, and no more could be required
of Mr. Macgregor.
The Cross-examination was then continued.—The secre-
tary of the company wrote a letter to the different depart-
ments, authorising- the alteration, but the order was subse-
quently rescinded. The truth was, that the directors were
anxious so to reduce the carriage of parcels by passengers'
trains, as to throw that description of traffic off the goods'
trains on to the passengers' trains, and the minute or rider
now under discussion was in that spirit. Under the existing
system, the parcel was not sent directly from the transmitter
to
the railway, but through the agency of receivers, who, al-
though they had a large package of these parcels serried at a
low rate, still charged a- very high rate to the original
transmitter. The order in question was made to break down
that system, but unfortunately the order was so framed
that the carriage of a parcel by passenger trains for a short
distance was charged the same as for a long distance. The
defect was only discovered recently, and the company were
about to establish the system of carrying parcels by the
passenger trains and charging for them by the distance in
the same way that they charged for passengers. Mr. Mac-
gregor complained that his character and veracity had been a
good deal maligned upon this point by interested parties in
Canterbury, and again through the medium of a particular
channel in town, and he had hitherto felt a delicacy in ex-
plaining the matter, thinking it beter to have it thoroughly
sifted in a tribunal like the present.
The cross-examination had not terminated when the Com-
mittee rose, and it was adjourned till Tursdav, Mr.
Macgregor having to preside at the South-Eastern meeting
to-morrow.

The Committee adjourned at five o'clock till twelve o'clock
to-morrow (phis day).

This Committee assembled to-day at twelve o'clock, in
Room 23 ; the Hon. Mr. Lascelles in the chair.

LYNN AND ELY (EXTENSIO:II7 TO num?'
ST. rIDII+IVIV2'S.)

This was the first Bill proceeded with, which is an ex,
tension line from the Lynn and Ely Railway to Bury St
Edmund's.

Mr. Sergeant Wit:INGHAM opened the casa for the pro-
moters, explaining the merits of the scheme, which he de-
scribed to be free from engineering difficulties. It waa
twenty-three miles in length, and was estimated to cost
830,0001.

Several witnesses were examined as to the expected traffic
on the line, which was described to be very great. It would
be the means of affording accommodation to an important
agricultural district.

-Mr. Valentine deposed to the engineering peculiarities of
the line, which he represented to be very favourable. The
curves were light, and the heaviest gradient was one in 165.
The works generally were light, and would be easily con-
structed within the estintrtes.

This was the case for the promoters.
Mr. Sergeant Knto',Alm was heard on the part of certain
petitioners against the line, after which the Committee ad-
journed till to morrow at twelve o'clock.

STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE.
The Committee on Standing Orders met yesterday at the
usual hour for the dispatch of public business. The greater
portion of the day was occupied in the consideration of the
case of the North British Railway. The following were the
decisions announced :
:NORTH BRITISH (No. 2).
Allowed to proceed.
COVENTRY, BANBURY, AND OXFORD JUNCTION
RAILWAY.
Allowed to proceed.

GREAT IND CAN PENINSULA
RAILWAY.

A meeting of the scripholders in this undertaking was
held s ester day at the company's offices, 3, New Broad-street,
City, to receive the report of the directors ; Lord Wharncliffe,
President of the Board of Directors, in the chair.
The Noble CHAIRMAN said that, in opening the proceed-
ings of the meeting, lie did not feel it necessary to
detain them very long by any observations. They
would hear the report read, which would place them
in the full possession of the position in which the company
stood at that very time. The meeting he had the honour
to address was not very numerous; but they (the directors)
hoped that they might infer, even from that circumstance,
that they (the shareholder;) placed confidence in the mode
in which the affairs of the company had been
transacted. He believed _ that they were entitled to
that confidence, and he trusted those who should
hear the report would not have any doubt that
their efforts had been applied to the object for which the
company had been constituted. When they under-
took to construct that railway, every one knew that
great delays must occur before iliey could carry out their
object. In the first place, they were aware that the pre-
liminariec would consume an immensity of their time.
They also felt that the governing powers in India were
entitled to claim some delay. It was necessary to make
inquiries as to distance and expenditure, for if a system
of railway were adopted in India the whole responsi-
bility must rest upon the governing powers there. It
was also reasonable that those in authority should
wish for time to make their selection from the different
schemes suberitted to them. They ( the company) ought
not, thereto, e, to be surprised at the delay that had taken
place. At the same time, the directors could not deny that
they had hoped that they should have made greater ad-
vances than they had done, and that they would have been
able to lay before the shareholders and the public
something more distinct than they could at present submit
to the authorities in this country, not in India. However,
they bad every reason to believe that they were
favourable to the introduction of railways into
India, and. that they ( the company) stood in
a favourable position wa.s evident, from. the
correspondence that had taken place between the Honour-
able the East India Company and members of their com-
pany. One of the e rincipal reasons the directors had in
calling the present meeting was to have an opportunity of
communicating with their subscribers, and laying before
them a report of the proceedings up to the present time,
and to adopt the steps that were necessaey to be taken.
They had been obliged to introduce a Bill into Parliament;
having no reasonable doubt as to the success of their under-
taking, they thought it right to obtain that incorporation which
waif necessary. That Bill was then before the Parliament; it
had been read a second time. That was the position in which
rectors
they then stood, but before .takine• any further steps the di-
considered that it would be right to give their
subscribers all the information in their power, and to
afford them
an
they might think proper
to
of
making any observations
necessary for hint ato add It was not, perhaps,
anything further, but to allow
the report to be read. Of course, when they had
obtained the decision of t
pany, 4-they would then L:he East India Com-
circumstances that might ariee:
in express his firm
firepared fur the new
r they were engaged
°lye a remunerative
confidence that the undertaking
culable benek to
would be carried out, and that it would
speculation to the subscribers, and an i
the public both of this country and of India.—(llear
Mr. Ilt:Trox then real the report of the tiirecto'rstefar.,)
which it appeared that after coneiderable thincultiee they
succeeded in gettinie plahnisdardeections completed. Thy,
Payment on
result of the allotment , been the
75,678 shares, and the execution of the deed and the duple.
cates on the bonds by the subscribers amounted to 60,043
shares. The total number of shares paid on in England was
64,700 and the subscription deed had been executed for 53,865.
The deposits paid in Bombay were 6,1781. The total
amount of funds realised was 22,122/. 3s. Gd. The
report, after adverting to the difficulties which were
encountered from the climate and other local cir-
cumstances, proceeded to state that data had
been obtained for constructing a line of railway from Bombay
to Alleah, a distance of 108% miles, with an extension

of 36 miles, as far as Alhnse, in the direction of Shala-
poor ; also an extension of 31 miles, as far as Purah
River, in the direction (if Hoshungabad. That was a line
which would bring the grain, cotton, &c., and return the
salt of the coast, the piece goods and hardware of Manchester
and Birmingham. The estimated return the line would afford
would be a profit of 11 per cent. upon the cost of its
construction. The whole of the documents had been printed,
and were open to the inspection of the subscribers. The
East India Company had expressed themselves favourably
towards their project, and they would see from the
report of Mr. Stephenson, that, while he differed
in some points from the engineer of the com-
pany, his opinion of the line was most gratifying
The expenditure was 17,934/. 13s. 10d. The report having
referred in laudatory terms to the services of the different
officers of the company, concluded by recommending the
shareholders to promote the Bill before Parliament as being
calculated to advance their interests.

Mr. WILLIAMSON proposed the adoption of the report.
Mr. WILSON seconded the resolution, which was carried
unanimously.
G. W. ANDERSON, Esq. (late member of the Council of
Bombay), proposed a resolution to the effect that the directors
of the railway should be requested to continue their negotia-
tions with the Board of the Hon. the East India Company
with a view to enable them to bring their undertaking to a
satisfactory result. He had no doubt that the board to which
he alluded had every friendly disposition towards the
company.
W. ANDERSON, Esq., seconded the resolution, which was
carried unanimously.
The Noble CHAIRMAN proposed. in very flattering terms,
that the name of Mr. Halton, who was one of the provi-
sional committee, and who had acted as secretary to the
company, and had contributed from the position be held very
much to their success, should be inserted in the report in
conjunction with the gentlemen whose names they had men-
tioned in so flattering a manner.
Mr. HAminzoN, M.P., seconded the resolution, which was
carried unanimously.
Mr. Havrox, in returning thanks, observed that a very
false impression existed with reference to the probability of
the success of railways in India. Towns had grown up there
with a rapidity unknown to this part of the world, and the
Hindoos were remarkable for the quickness with which they
rode or drove; numbers of weal thynatives might be seen in their
carriages, and these, no doubt, would prefer in many ceses
travelling by steam. Besides, there were many wealthy
merchants in India who were ready to embark their capital in
enterprises. He conceived that the same motives that led to
the formation of railways in this country would operate in
India, and that the desire of making a profitable speculation
was felt there as well as here.

Thanks having been voted to the Noble Chairman and the
other directors, the meeting separated.

NEWPORT, ABERGAVENNY, AND
HEREFORD RAILWAY COMPANY.
The first general meeting of the proprietors of this Cool-
pany was held yesterday, at the offices of the company, No.
2, Moorgate-street ; the Hon. Capt. Fitzmaurice, in the chair.
The SECRETARY read the report, from which we make the
following extracts:—
" The directors beg to state that the arrangements proposed
in their circular of the 23d of December last, having been
readily acquiesced in, a large number of shareholders in the
Monmouthshire Railway Company were admitted into this
company. The proprietary has thus been materially
strengthened, and the registration, up to the present time,
consists of 377 proprietors, holding in the aggregate 22,180
shares of 251. each, with 2/. 10s. per share credited thereon,
out of 29,320 shares of like amount, being the total number
authorised to be issued under the Act.
" Under the Act of Incorporation, the company was ern.
powered to carry out arrangements entered into for the pur-
chase of the Llanvihangel, Grosmont and Hereford Tram-
roads. These sales having been ratified by the shareholders
in these respective companies, the first instalment of pur-
chaee money has been :paid to the Hereford train-road
Company, and similar instalments are in course of payment
to the other two companies. The balance of the purchase
moneys (about 45,000), will be payable in March, 1848.
"This company is entitled to the revenue of the train-
roads from October last ; and the directors look forward to a
return of half the purchase money from the sale of the land
and plant included in the purchase. Great facilities will be
obtained, and much expense saved, in the construction cf the
line, by the acquisition of this valuable prcperty.
" The whole of the main line of railway has now been laid
out by the engineer; and the directors have advertised for
the portion of the line between Pontypool and Abergavenny,
where the works are the heaviest, and which will conse-
quently take the longest time in completion.
" The directors made a call of 11. 10s. a share, payable on
the let of this month, which has been readily responded to,
and they confidently anticipate the early payment of the
whole call.
"In coeformity with the algrost universal practice now
adopted by railway companies, the directors have thought it
right to allow intere-t at the rate of 4 per cent. on the depo-
sit, from the date of the Act; and they propose, fur the fu-
ture, to allow 5 per cent. on the deposit and calls as they are
paid."
The CHAIRMAN then adverted to some of the topics in the
report, and put a resolution to the meeting that the report
should be adopted and circulated.
The Hon. H. lixox seconded the motion, which was
unanimously agreed to.
The present directors were then re-elected; 700/. voted to
them for their past services, and 800/. for their services
during the ensuing year.
Two auditors were also appointed, and the salary of the
secretary fixed at 600/. per annum.
SPECIAL MEETING.
The meeting was then made special, when the following
Bills were submitied for the approval of the shareholders:—
A Hill for amending the Newport, Abergavenny, :and
Hereford Railway Act. 1846, and to authorise deviations from
the line of the said railway, and for making branches and
extensions therefrom.
A Bill to enable the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford
Railway Company, to extend their railway from the neigh-
bourhood of Pontypool, to the Taff Vale Railway.
The Cnium.t.kx briefly stated the leading objects of both
Bills, which had passed the Standing Orders Committee, and
were now waiting the appointment of a Committee to in-
vestigate their merits, and concluded by submitting resolu-
tions strongly recommending the extensions to the adoption
of the shareholders.
The resolutions were unanimously agreed to.
This terminated the business of the meeting.

TUESDAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE.
LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, Mancx 16, 1847.
Notice is hereby given, that her Majesty will hold a
Drawing-room, at St. James's Palace, on Saturday, the 27th
instant, at two o'clock.
REGULATIONS TO BE OBSEIIVED AT THE QUEEN'S DRAW-
ING•ROO3I.—The Ladies who purpose attending her Ma-
jesty's Drawing-room are requested to bring with them two
large cards, with their names legibly written thereon, one
to be left with the Queen's Page in attendance in the Pre-
sence-chamber, and the other to be delivered to the Lord
Chamberlain, who will announce the name to her Ma-
jesty. And those Ladies who are to be presented are
hereby informed, it is absolutely necessary that their
names, together with the names of the Ladies who
are to present them, should be sent in to the
Lord Chamberlain's-office, before twelve o'clock on Thurs-
day, the 25th instant, in order that they may be submitted
for the Queen's approbation ; it being her Majesty's com-
mand that no presentation shall take place unless the name
of the lady presenting, together with that of the lady to be
presented, shall appear on the card to be delivered to the
Lord Chamberlain, which names shall correspond with
those previously sent in to the Lord Chamberlain's-office.
It is particularly requested that in every case written cards
only be delivered.
FOREIGN-OFFICE, Menet' 12.
The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. John Burd,
as Consul at Hong-Kong for his Majesty the King of Den-
mark.

FOREIGEOFFICE, MARCH 13.

The Quern has been pleased to 'approve of Mr. Francisco
Jose de Paiva, as Consul General at Hung Kong for her
Majesty the Queen of Portugal and the Algarvee.
DOWSING-STREET, MARCH 16.

•
The Queen has teen pleased to appoint Charles Packer,
Esq., to be her Majesty's Solicitor-General fur the Island of
Barbadoes. _

CROWN-OFFICE, MAncit 16.

MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THIS PRESENT PARI.I.I3IENT

City of Canterbury—Sir AlbertiDenison Conyngham. Knt.,
commonly called ford Albert Conyngham, in the room of
James Bradshaw, Esq., deceased.
WHITEHALL, FEB. 19.

The Lord Chancellor has appointed William George Cur-.
sham, of the town and county of the town of Nottingham,
Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary in the High Court of
Chancery.

WHITEHALL, MARCH 9.

The Lord Chancellor has appointed William Sutcliffe, of
Hebden-bridge, near Halifax. Yorkshire, Gent., to be a
Master Extraordinary in the High Court of Chancery.
Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire.
Queen's Own Royal Regiment of Staffordshire Yeomanry
Cavalry—Franci Orlando Henry Bridgeman, Gent., to be
Cornet, vice Briscoe, promoted, Feb. 20.
BANKRUPTCIES SUPERSEDED.
George Knight, dealer in manure, Weybridge, Surrey.
Hew)on Dutchman, merchant and ship-owner, Toxteth-
park, Liverpool.