The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-16 00:00:00

GROUP XVI.

This Committee met to-day for the first time, at half-pass
twelve o'clock, in Room 23, New Houses of Parliament.
Members present, Mr. Kemble, chairman; Viscount Newry,
Mr. Wall, and Mr. Pulsford.
The following Bills have been reflrred to this Committee :
London and .North-Western (St. Albans, Luton, and
Dunstable).
Great Ncrthern Railway (Hertford, Hatfield, and St. Albans).
Eastern Counties Railway (Hertford to Hitchin, &c.)
Enfield and Edmonton Railway Extension.
The Committee having waited nearly two hours for the
attendance of Mr. Heneage, the; Chairman retired to con-
sult the Speaker. It then appeared that in the absence of
"a Member, on the first day, the Committee was not pro-
perly constituted, and the proceedings were, therefore, ad-
journed until Monday, to give time for an application to the
Committee of Selection.
GROUP XVIIL

The Committee on this group, comprising the Earl of Lin-
coln, in the chair, Sir W. James, Mr. M. J. O'Connell, Cap-
tain Jones, and the Hon. G. S. Smyth, assembled to-day at
one o'clock, in Room No. 25.
The preliminary proceedings for ascertaining the Counsel
fer the promoters and the opponents of the line having been
gone through, '
The first Bill to be taken was, according to the rules of the
House,
THE LONDON, OXFORD, AND CHELTEN-
HAM RAILWAY (CRELTZATRAIVI TO
THING).
Before proceeding, however, the Earl of Lincoln inquired
whether any arrangement had been made between the seve-
ral parties?
Mr. AUSTIN stated that he was retained for this Bill, and
had a right to begin, and:he should therefore decline to enter
into any such arrangement.
The Earl of LINCOLN then intimated that, according to the
rules of the House, before any Bill could be entertained by
a Committee it was necessary that a report should be made
by the Railway Commissioners, that certain regulations had
been complied with. Now, no such report had been made, and
therefore it was at present impossible to go on. He had
written to Mr. Strutt, the President of the Board, to ascer-
tain when that report was likely to be made, as it was bet-
ter to wait for the reply than to adjourn, as was their only
alternative, sine die.
After waiting some time,
Mr. KEATING applied to the Committee for leave to argue
the objections of the company for which he appeared, before
taking the preamble.
At this moment the reply of Mr. Strutt was received, and
the Earl of Lincoln stated that the communication intimated
that the report could not be made until Monday, and sug-
gested the adjournment of the Committee till Tuesday next.
Mr. KEATING still pressed his request, that the Committee
would hear the evidence and counsel, and defer the decision
on the preamble until the report was made. He thought
that application might be made for this to the House.
After some further conversation as to the usage of Parlia-
mentary Committees, the Chairman sent to confer with Mr.
Kemble, the Chairman of the only other Committee that
was sitting to-day. The reply was that Group 16 was not
in the same difficulty, for they had received their report.
The Earl of LINCOLN then threw out the suggestion that
application, if made, would in all probability fail, as he ap-
prehended that if he were to make the motion, as a matter of
course, he would be stopped, and he thought, therefore, that
nothing would be gained.
It was ultimately arranged that, in the event of Mr. Strutt
not being able to assure the Chairman that they could pro-
ceed on Tuesday, that his Lordship should to-morrow even.
ing give notice for a motion, to be taken on Monday, tor
leave to proceed on Tuesday.
The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock on Tues-
day next.

READEiG, GUILDFORD, AND REI

GATE RAILWAY.

A special general meeting of the shareholders in this rail-
way was held yesterday at the effices
of the company, for the
purpose of sanctioning certain alterations in the line.
Mi. Smale, in the absence of Mr. D. Salomons, chairman
of the company, presided.
The SECRETARY having read the advertisement, and the
clauses of the Act which were intended to be brought before
Parliament,
The CHAIRMAN said that the main object of the Act was
to facilitate the construction of the amended line at a less
cost, and he thought, therefore, that no objection would be
offered to it. He hid, therefore, to move that the approved
of this meeting be given to the introduction of this Bill into
Parliament.

A PROPRIETOR wished to know, before the motion was put,
whether this Act would alter any of the relations entered into
with the South-Eastern Company ?
The CHAlRMAN—Certainly not.
Mr. MANGLES said, that as living in the neighbourhood of
the proposed alterations, he might be permitted to say that
the deviation of a few hundred yards would save a distance
of three-quarten of a mile, and would save considerable ex-
pense, besides forming a better junction. They would not
have been obliged to alter in any way their Act of Parlia-
ment, but the estate through which the proposed alterations
were to be made was in Chancery, and there was no person,
therefore. properly authorised to give a title to the land.
The other alterations were of a somewhat similar character.
The object would, therefore, save expenses to the Reading,
Guildford. and Reigate, and, consequently, would contribute
to the welfare of the South-Eastern Company.
The Cictutsrast said that the interests of the South.
Eastern and of this company were now the same, and, there-
fore, they could not be dissatisfied with it.
A PROPRIETOR asked if the agreement with the South-
Eastern Company was signed and sealed?
The CHAIRMAN said it was not, but it was drawn up and
approved of by the solicitor of their own company, and was
also approved of by Mr. Fearon, the solicitor of the South-
Eastern Company. It had, however, been submitted to the
counsel of the company, Mr. Earle, who was out of town, and
had it with him. He was expected in town this week, but
had not yet arrived.
A PROPRIETOR would like to know how long the agree-
mept had been in that gentleman's possession ? In a matter
affecting so much capital, it was not a slight affair that this
should be allowed to lie over. Unforeseen circumstances
might arise which might materially injure the interests of
the Reading, Guildford, and Reigate Company, and it was,
therefore, proper that every means should be taken to bring
this matter to a conclut,ion.
A PROPRIETOR asked whether the 600,0001. capital, to be
furnished by this company, would be the maximum amount;
or whether, in the event of the cost exceeding that sum, they
would be also called upon to subscribe it?
The CHAIRMAN said that if a further sum were required
the South-Eastern Company were bound to provide it.
A discussion arose as to the propriety of adjourning the
meeting until the agreement was forthcoming, and it was
ultimately agreed that the motion should be agreed to, on
the understanding that the directors should call a meeting
within a fortnight if the agreement should not have been de•
livered within that time.
The motion was agreed to, and the meetinl

apaiafe

DEMERARA RAILWAY COMPANY
The first general meeting of the shareholders was held yes •
terdy at the London Tavern, Bishopsgatesstreet, for the trans-
action of the usual business.
CHARLES CtvE, Esq., occupied the chair. He said the
committee of management had great pleasure in meeting the
shareholders—first, for the purpose of giving an account of
their stewardship ; and, secondly, that they might lay
before them the report of the company's engineer. That
report was cheering, for the prospect which it gave the com-
pany of successfully carrying out their object. The abilities
of the gentleman who had drawn up that report, his accu-
racy, his discrimination and great professional talents, gave
them full confidence in the hope which that report inspired.
That confidence was increased by the experience the same
gentleman had had in a tropical climate and of tracs-Atlantic
railways. As to the pecuniary affairs of the company, the
deposits on share amounted to 25,000(., which was to meet
all the expenditusre
pany, and starting Tictessary to the formation of a new com-
expenses might be the execution of their object. The
expected to have been great, but, tinder
they were only
the economy of cite committ
when every shilling oefe,
month, 5,822/. last
le banker's account, was in
remaining, after providing for debtt w" paid. The balance
Lombard-street, on the
the hands of bill discounters
security of good bills of exchange, at a fair rate of interest,
reminded the
the whole remaining intact,
tiWficthhet their Act with
. The SECRILTARY read the report,
. shareholders that the company had obtained
ample powers for all the original objects
wfixed company,at and
as
something more. It stated that the capital
250,0001., distributed into 10,00-) share?, the wh able of svhe
haa been subscribed for and paid upon at 10 per cent. which, ; that
Mr. Catherwood, a gentleman resident for some years in
North America, and employed there on public works, pro_
seeded as the company's engineer to Demerara, and cora_
pleted a very careful survey of the proposed line, visiting after-
wards the western and Arabian coasts of the colony, where
he made such general surveys of those districts, and drew up
a report which would be extremely useful in the future con-
sideration of other lines of railway. From the report of the
engineer the committee were of opinion that the railway
might be made at a very low sum, the whole cost being
165,0004 or about 8,000/. a mile. Mr. Catherwood, having
been re-engaged, had proceeded again to Demerara on the
Ist of March, whither stores, and some able artificers con-
versant with railway works, had been sent out. The report,
after mentioning that the expenses were 5,832/. Is. 11d.,
leaving a balance of 20,570/. 12s. 10d., stated that the com-
mittee did not anticipate the necessity of making any call
upon the shareholders before the neat ordinary meeting, in
October.
The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report, which
passed nem. con.
The committee of management, with the exception of the
chairman, Charles Cave, Esq., who withdrew, were then