The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-23 00:00:00

TELE SUN, LONDON, WEDNIISDAA EVENING, SEPTEMBE-11 23, 1846.

DREADFUL CONFLAGRATION
AT THE CROYDON RAILWAY TERMINUS

THIS MORNING.

Between the hours of tw o and three this morning a
fire of a very fearful character, attended with a serious
destruction of property, broke out upon the Croydon
station of the London and Croydon Railway. From in-
quiries made during the progress of the fire it appears
that whilst one of the constables of the P division was
passing the Fox and .Hounds tavern he perceived a dense
body of smoke issuing from the lamp room of the ter-
minus. Tbis satisfied the officer that a fire had broken
out, and without a, moment's loss of time he raised an
alarm, but before any person had time to come to his
assistance the flames broke through the roof of the car-
riage depot,. a spacious building upwards of 100 feet
long, and which was filled with carriages of the
first and second classes. Contiguous to this build-
ing stood another erection, in which several other
carriages were deposited. Fortunately the servants of
the company and police succeeded in saving the contents
of this place ; for, on seeing the imminent danger to
which it was exposed, they pushed a train consisting of
several carriages out of it. Intelligence was immediately
sent to the engine stations of the town ; and soon the
barrack and parish engines arrived. By this time the
old locomotive depot was enveloped in flames, and more
than a dozen first and second-class carriages were on fire,
the flames from which illuminated the immediate dis-
trict and a portion of the metropolis. This became a
speedier messenger than the intelligence sent, and several
London engines started for the place. The first that
arrived belonged to the West of England Company, from
the Waterloo-read, under Mr. Connorton's direction : the
Watlirg-street brigade engine, with Mr. Braidwood,
was the next that ;tame down, and Mr. Garwood followed
directly after with the County engine, from Regent-street.
For some time the greatest difficulty was experienced in
obtaining a supply of water, meanwhile the flames pro-
gressed with such rapidity, that before four o'clock both
the stations of the present atmospheric and the old loco-
motives presented an immense body of flame, which
roared as it issued from the several windows lake a num-
ber of furnaces in full operation.
By leading the hose of the engines through the win-
dows, the military and firemen were enabled to pour
a limited stream of water upon the destructive element ;
but it had obtained too firm a hold to be easily extin •
guished, and carriage after carriage fell a prey to the
fury of the fire, and it was not until the whole of the
combustible articles in the two buildings were
burnt that the fire was subdued. The conflagra-
tion was only cut off just as it was attack-
ing the ticket station and booking-offices. Had the
flames here progressed only a few feet further before
they were stopped, the work of destruction would have
been far more serious than it really has bsen.
By eight o'clock the fire was so far subdued as to
allay all further apprehensions of its extension. By that
period, the old locomotive depot was burnt down, an
immense number of first and second-class carriages
destroyed; the atmospheric carriage shedding was like-
wise consumed; the electric telegraph was 'else displaced,-
and a large number of the sleepers on the lino were
burnt, and the metal tramways were forced into various
shapes, so as to prevent the regular transit of the trains.
The total loss must amount to several thousand pounds
at the least ; and whether the property was insured or
not we could not ascertain during the excitement which
prevailed.
The whole of the carriages destroyed were placed in
. .

the station ready for the first passage this morning.
An inquiry into the cause of the outbreak will be in-
stituted by the directors of the company this afternoon.
The traffic of the line must of necessity be suspended
for some time, on account of the rooting up of the raili
by the fire.

~✓Too much praise cannot be given to the superinten-
dents of the London engine establishments, and to the
West of England and County Companies, for their early
arrival at the scene of destruction.

IEDUCTION OF POSTAGE TO
AND FROM DENMARK.

The following notice was yesterday affixed at the chief
office, St. Martin's-le-Grand :
" General Yost-office, Sept. 22.

" On and after the Ist of October next, the postage
upon letters posted in the United Kingdom, and ad-
dressed to Denmark, and vice versa, when conveyed
direct by packet.boat, or private ship,-will be reduced,
in those CUSCS where the rate is collected in thia country;
to the 'uniform rate of 10d. on a letter not exceeding
half an ounce in weight ; Is. Bd. on a letter not exceed-
ing one ounce, and 'so on, according to the scale in
operation in the United Kingdom for charging letters
by weight.
" These rates of 10d., Is. Bd., &c., comprise both the
British and Danish postage on letters between the two
countries. They must be either paid in advance or the
letters forwarded unpaid at the option of the sender.
"It is necessary, however, that the postage on all
registered letters, as well as the registration fee, should
be paid in advance.
" When the letters are not conveyed by direct packet
boat or private ship, between the United Kingdom and
Denmark, but are specially directed to be forwarded by
the routes of France, Belgium, Holland, or any other
foreign country, they must be treated in every respect as
letters sent in transit through such countries.
" British newspapers, duly stamped and posted in ac-
cordance with the usual efficient regulations, may be
forwarded by direct packet boat to Denmark, free of
postage; and newspapers published in Denmark, and
forwarded to the United Kingdom by direct packet, will
not be liable to any postage on delivery.
" When such newspapers are conveyed by private
ship, they will be liable, in this country, to one penny
each on those dispatched, and to the same sum on those
delivered.

zEoffifiiail42'ol%::llll9 Posittaster General..'..',.

.A.FFAIRS OF HOESTEIN.

EXTRACT OF"THE PROTOCOL OF THE •SIT.TING OF •THE

GERMAN DIET, SEPT. 17, 1846.
RESOLUTION.

"His Majesty the King of Denmark, Duke of Hol-
stein au' Lauenbourg, having made known by the de-
claration of the 7th of September, in reply to the petition
addressed to the Diet by the states of Holstein, on the
3d of August, that there never was any intention of at-
tacking the independence of the Duchy of Holstein, nor
of modifying arbitrarily either the constitution or the
other institutions which the usage and laws of the
country have consecrated ; his Majesty having, besides,
given the assurance that the efforts to regulate the order
of the succession of that duchy were not intended to
affect the legitimate rights of the agnates, and, in short,
the intention to maintain entire the constitutional right
of petition by the states having been openly acknowledged
by his Majesty; the High Diet is confident that in coming
to a definite resolution on the subject, of which the
letter patent of the Bth of July makes mention, his Ma-
jesty will respect the rights of all, and particularly the
rights of the Confederation, the legitimate rights of the
agnates, and those of the legal representatives of the
country. While reserving to itself, as organ of the Con •
federation, the right of giving effect, should the case
arise, to its constitutional competence, the Diet deems
that it cannot receive in the states of Holstein the legal
representatives of that federal state; that their mission
should be limited to the defence of their constitutional
rights; and that the complaint of those states on the
subject of changes to be made in an illegal manner in
their constitution is without foundation. On the other
hand, the Diet deems that the order transmitted by his
Majesty to the royal commissioner at these states, not
to receive petitions or reclamations relating to the
question of the succession, does not, strictly speaking,
accord with the literal sense of the law of the 28th of
May, 1831.
• " Secondly, the Diet is gratified in rendering justice to
the patriotic sentiments that have been manifested on
this occasion in Germany, but it deplores the hostile
charges and expressions of animosity that have been
given vent to. It hopes and trusts that the confederated
Governments will endeavour to put a stop to this agita-
tion and excitement; and it has no doubt but that his
Majesty the King of Denmark will fully reciprocate
that feeling.
" Thirdly, the DinishEnvoy is invited' to"coney this
resolution to the knowledge of his Court."

The following are the exceptions which the Envoy of
Denmark has taken to the resolution of the Diet.—
" On referring to the declaration of his Court, and
without voting on the question of the Constitution, the
Envoy does not think it his duty to take any exception,
unless in the case that the passage in which the Diet
expresses its confidence that the King of Denmark, in
taking his decisive measures upon the questions men-
tioned in the letter patent, will respect certain rights,
should be interpreted so as to apply to the duchy of
Schleswig; or, in the case that to the rights of national
representation to be respected, any other meaning should
be attributed than that of their constitutional rights—
rights which the Diet had in view in speaking on a pre-
vious occasion of his Majesty's intention to maintain
entire the states' right of petition."

TROTTING MATCH FOR TWENTY-FIVE POUNDS
ASlDE.—Yesterday, a match between Mr. Reynold's
grey maro, and Mr. Bilton's black horse came off at
Wimbledon-common, the contesting distance being two
miles; when, after a good race, the grey came in the
winner by fifty yards, having covered the distance in
seven minutes and twenty seconds.
TRUCKS ON WESTMINSTER BRlDGE.—Yesterday,
about noon, several persons were knocked down on
Westminster-bridge, by fellows, rushing through the
narrow thoroughfare left open for foot passengers
drawing trucks after them. A row of posts placed
at -either end would effectually prevent such another
occurrence.
THE RESTORATION OF ST. JOHN'S ap-
ears that the restoration of St. John's Gate is progress-
ing piecemeal. 1301. only having been subscribed, a
sum insufficient to complete the work, the masonic opera-
tions are necessarily limited. the restorations effected
in the north front are, the two towers and the upper
portion of the gate have been recased with stone, rough
to accord with the present stonework, new solid stone
embattlements, and new solid window heads, jambs, and
sills to the turret windows. The red chimney pots have
been taken off, and others in accordance substituted.
The Roman style door front has been removed. It is
said that about 901. more will restore the stone embattle-
ments to the south front.
DISEASE IN THE CELERY PLANTS.--The leaves, of
the celery plants are stated to be withering, and on
dividing the two coats of the diseased leaves, •it will -be
found that there are a number of small green insects be-
tween them, which are rapidly destroying the inner parts
of the leaves. This disease is quite new, to i4l antilSeems
likely u;t4o 44149944 a of ihv .

LITERATURE.

THE PENSCELL WOOD PAPERS. 2 Vols.

Considerable research has been expended upon
these singular essays. Almost everybody has read
" Dr. llookwell," and hence we are persuaded that
almost everybody will read the "Penscellwood
Papers," seeing that they are from the pen of the
same accomplished and ingenice;s writer. For these
reasons, therefore, we are .nast solicitous that the
first article in the two volumes under notice may be
perused simply as a literary curiosity, that the reader
may not be cajoled (or rather fascinated) into an
erroneous belief merely by a few clever conceits, that
the composition may be regarded simply as a game at
logic, and not as the serious advocacy of an ethical
theory. The purport of the disquisition in question
is fully explained in its very title—" On the Future
Life and Souls of Animals." No debating society
has, perhaps, ever been established in which the
question has not been broached whether animals are
endowed with reason or instinct. And every one
who has ever heard that question contended knows
that very adroit arguments may be advanced in sup-
port of the former as well as in favour of the. latter
opinion. Until the debater, however, can by a spon-
taneous metempsychosis transfer his intelligence into
the carcase of a pig, or a dog, or some other animal,
he can never demonstrate to himself, beyond all cavil,
whether the sentience of an animal is the sentience of
reason or the sentience of instinct. We must con-
sequently, in default of this impossible demonstration,
revert to the fundamental part of religion—Faith.
Christianity is always right wherever and whenever
merely human intelligence is at fault. If we were
red Indians we -might- unquestionably coincide with
the author of these volumes in anticipating the future
existence of animals, and even expect to be accom-
panied by our favourite dog to the great hunting
ground beyond the grave. But being as we are, we
can look upon man as the only creature endowed with
higher or reasoning faculties, and as alone destined
to enjoy life hereafter. That mysterious draughtsman
Blake once drew the portrait of the ghost of a flea,
as it appeared to him in one of his visions, and which
portrait we remember to have seen recently. Some-
what as authentic and conclusive is the testimony of
the future existence of animals given by the author of
the "Penscellwood Papers." Nevertheless we are
not inclined to argue this matter seriously, but rather
take his lucubration as it was doubtless intended to
be taken, namely, as a quaint and agreeable eccen-
tricity. It is quite a vaudeville of metaphysics. As
it may possibly tend, moreover, to enforce those sen-
timents of tenderness to the dumb creation which are
incorporated in Martin's Act, the effusion is accept-
able. The retention or abolition of " Capital Punish-
ments" is the theme of the second paper, and, while
it evinces considerable talent in endeavouring to
emphasise a principle it is animated by a very winning
earnestness. It will be examined with peculiar
interokt ut_this, mement.. The remaining portions_ of
the second volume are of equal merit with the pre.
ceding ; and, we would especially direct attention to
the observations upon " The Established Church,"
and " The Education of the People." What we
would particularise as the most striking and com-
mendable characteristics of this work are—a great
freshness of manner, a singular originality and
freedom of thought, and a most genuine and honour-
able benevolence of tone. For these features " The
Penscellwood Papers" will be admired, and the
author respected.

THE CONTINENTAL FORGERIES.—The two forgers,
Theodore Ilerweg, alias Romanzou or Raumanzow, and
Knapps, have undergone several interrogations before
the examining magistrates, and several witnesses have
also been examined. It appeared that Romanzou
scarcely ever remained in one apartment more than a
quarter of a year, and was to leave that in the Rue
d'Anjou, where he was taken, in October. He never
went out, and was not visited during the time he stayed
there by more than three persons. The preliminary
proceedings are likely to occupy several months, on
account of- the evidence which will be required from
several foreign countries. Knapps is confined in the
prison of the Madelonnettes, and Romanzou in that of
St. Pelagrie. The thirty-two notes found upon Roman-
zou were for 1001. each, and not for 5/., as was at first
stated..: Both the prisoners have made a full confession.
Romanzou states that, after having sonarrowly escaped
from arrest on the 6th January, 1832, when, the
woman Danelle, and Pressel, the native of Wurtemberg,,
were surprised at l'aSsy, where he, Romanzou, had
set up a press, he got over the frontier into Switzer-
land, and made his way into Italy, where he lived for
four months upon a sum of money that he took with
him. Fearing an application for his extradition, he re
turned to France, thinking he would be able the more
easily to conceal himself there. His resources were
then reduced to two genuine Bank of England notes for
1001. each ; and he conceived for the first time the idea
of imitating them. But the difficulties he had to con-
tend with were so great that he was for two years
working assiduously before he could succeed ; living in
the most parsimonious manner upon one of the notes
being obliged to keep the other as a model. At the end
of the two years he found that he had produced a perfect
forgery, but not daring to trust the uttering of his
false notes to any third person, he issued them himself,
and in three days exchanged twenty-six of them for
100/. each at different money-changers' offices. He
then stopped, and travelled till he saw the effect pro-
duced upon the Bank of Englard. At the time of his last
capture, Itomanzou was engaged, with the assistance of
his accomplice Knapp% in manufacturing a greater
number of notes of the Bank of England, with the
intent, as he says, of raising 100,0001'., with which he
hoped to get over.to America, and there live an honest
pfe:--,-GtOgnttnt.- • -
That destructive insect, the locust, continues to be
Picked up in considerable numbers on various parts of
'the coasts of Northumkerland and Durham,- many of
them being three or four inches' long, and of propor-
tionate height. The unusual heat which has been ex-
perienced in our climate this year is supposed to have
directed these destructive visitors to our shores, where
the rigours of the approaching winter will probably ex-
tirpate such as escape capture in the interim by the
hordes of naturalists and others who are now daily in
pursuit of them.
GAME FASCINATED BY TERROR.—We have fre-
quently heard of birds being rendered powerless by the
serpent's glare, but we had no idea that game could be
fascinated by the pointer's eye. Yet such appears to be
the case. A correspondent assures us, that while enjoy-
ing a walk with a sporting gentleman, over his moors in
Ross-shire, the other day, the pointer came to a sudden
stand, and, on looking minutely, he observed a grouse
coct,lying about twenty inches from the dog's nose,
with his eye intently fixed on his. It seemed petrified
with horror, and although unwounded and quite healthy,
permitted the gentleman to take and put it alive in the
bag. We have heard of a white hare being taken in a
similar manner in Glenmoriston, some years ago.—
Inverness Courier.
A RAILWAY HUNT AFTER A SUNDAY'S DINNER.—
A gentleman of Liverpool, who is residing temporarily
in the vicinity of Bromborough, sent a parcel on Satur-
day evening to the Birkenhead and Chester Railway
Office, in James- street, containing a joint for Sunday's
dinner, clean linen, shaving tackle, and other necessaries,
with directions to be kept until he booked for Brombo-
rough himself. The parcel was directed to that place.
On arriving at the office, he was told, to his dismay, that
the parcel was sent forward by the previous train,
and would, no doubt, be found either at Birken-
head or Bromborough. When he reached Birken-
head he made inquiries after his lost treasures in
vain, they must be at Bromborough, he was told;
but in case .of so unfortunate a mishap as their
having gone on to Chester, the clerk said he would
write to the station, and his parcel should be
duly returned next morning. He met, accordingly,
the half-past eight train, but no mutton, clean shirt, or
razor, there awaited him. He stayed till ten ; but that
train he was told would not stop unless he booked to go
by it to Liverpool. He paid his ninepence accordingly.
Still no parcel. His next despairing resolve was to go
by the train-he had paid for to Birkenhead, and went
accordingly, but was equally unlucky. " Try the
Liverpool station," urged the clerk. Our dinner-hunter
found, however, that there wouia then ne no time to
return till two in the afternoon. "Go on to Chester,"
suggested the clerk. Our hero, however, preferred re-
turning to Bromborough again, where a man having been
dispatched forth to Chester, his lost dinner, &c., reached
him at two o'clock. A less persevering individual
would perhaps have been less successful in stirring up
the drowsy energies of the various railway officials con-
cerned.—Railway Standard.

Mr. Newman is on his way to Rome, where he
will remain some months. The Univers contains an
account of his reception at Paris, which was most cor-
dial on the part of the ecclesiastical authorities. The
Archbishop of Paris and the Nuncio of his Holiness the
Pope paid great attention to this distinguished theologian.
Mr. Haydon, the son of the late celebrated artist,
who was appointed by Sir R, bert Peel to the situation
of Landing Waiter in the Customs Department, has
entered upon the term of probationary instruction usual
previously to any person, so appointed, performing any
actual service.
NEW MODELLING OF TIDE COAST GUARD.—AII
important change is about to take place in the Coast
Guard Service, which, it is understood, will be placed
under the superintendence of the Board of Admiralty,
instead of (as at present) being under the Board of
Customs and the Lords of the Treasury. A vacancy
will occur by the naval promotion of the present Comp
troller-General of the Coast Guard, Captain Phipps'
Hornby, R.N., C. 8., Aide-de-camp to her Majesty the
Queen ; and it is stated in naval circles that Capt. A.
Ellice, R.N. (1831), will be appointed under the Admi-
ralty to superintend the service, with the style of the
Comptroller of the Coast Guard (the title of General
being emitted). Many of the old officers who have been
retained in this service were formerly in the old coast
blockade, and will be " superannuated" upon hard-
earned pensions (the civilians) and the officers of the
royal navy " retired " upon well-merited promotion.
WONDERS WILL NEVER CEASE I—Last week, a
IlighlanOer, from above Inverary, called at the office
of a highly respectable steamboat company, and told the
clerk that he owed them eighteenpence, having cheated
one of their captains in that amount in his fare, about
three years ago. Donald was told never to mind the
matter, and to keep the money. This he would not
listen to, exclaiming, " 0 gudesake, no. I hae na been
able to sleep in my bed far a whole year aboot it." He
then tabled the sitter, and hastily left the counting-house,
saying to himself, as he retired, " Gude be thankit, I
hae got it aiT my conscience at last."—This is a good
example to Highlandel's in general, and we hope it will
In pria§l4.l9llowedo-Glaggeto Argue. Aaits

DON ENRIQUE'S PROTEST.
The following is the protest of Don Enrique,
which was presented to the Cortes on the 10th

RETURN OF THE COURT TO
WINDSOR.

PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY.—Her Majesty, Prince Al-
bert., and the Royal Family, attended by Colonels Grey
and Bouverie, Equerries ; Viscountess Canning, Lady
in Waiting ; the Hon. Miss Kerr, Maid of Honour, and
the usual staff of domestics, embarked at Trinity-wharf,
East Cowes, this morning, at ten minutes past nine
o'clock, on board the Fairy yacht, under the command
of Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, R.N., and left for Gos-
port under royal salutes from the Royal Yacht Squadron
battery and yachts in the roads, some of which were
gaily dressed.
The Fairy, with the standard of England at her main,
was navigated leisurely to Spithead ; on approaching
the anchorage, at 45 minutes past nine o'clock, the Re-
cruit, 12, Commander Slade, manned her yards and sa-
luted, which was followed by similar tributes from the
Abo, Russian corvette, Captain Reedneef, and the Hon.
Company's steam-frigate Moosupper, Captain Ethersey,
all handsomely dressed in colours. The Moozupper at-
tracted especial attention from her Majesty and the
Prince Consort.
At 56 minutes past nine o'clock the Fairy entered this
harbour, under salutes from the Platform Battery, the
Victory, and Excellent, those ships, together with the
Bulldog steam-sloop, Commander Davis, the Lightning,
the Myrtle, and Victoria and Albert giving their ensigns
to the breeze, and the larger of them manning yards and
cheering as the Fairy passed. She steamed up the Wee-
vil Creek, and was put alongside the jetty, where the
royal party disembarked at ten minutes past ten o'clock.
Here were assembled to receive her Majesty—Admiral
Sir Charles Ogle, Bart., the Commander-in-Chief ;
Major-General the Hon. Sir Hercules Pakenham,
K.C.8., Lieutenant-Governor, with the keys and a report
of the state of the garrison ; the Hon. Lady and the
Hon. Miss Pakenham ; Captain Pasco' of the Victory ;
Captain Superintendent Carter, R.N.; Lieutenant Raw-
storne, of the Victory (appointed to attend upon all
royal and other distinguished personages at this port);
Colonel Daly, Brigade-Major; Town-Major White;
Captain Pakenham, A.D.C.; Lieutenant-Colonel Van
Straubenzee, of the 3d ('Buffs) Regiment ; Major Cun-
ninghame. of the 13th ' • Mr. Davies, Master-attendant;
Mr. T. T. Grant, P.R.S., Storekeeper; Mr. Cornelius
Stovin, General Manager, and other chief officers
of the South-Western Railway Company ; and a
guard of honour of the 13th (Prince Albert's Own)
Light Infantry, under the command of Major
Fenwick ; Captain the Hon. E. W. Forester, Lieutenant
A. Oakea, and Ensign Browne, the latter bearing the
colours recently presented to the regiment by the Prince
Consort. Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence joined the royal
train on disembarking from the Fairy.
Her Majesty was escorted to the carriage by Sir
Charles Ogle and Sir Hercules Pakenham, and at 13
minutes past 10 the engine was set in motion by Mr.
Naylor, when the train left for Farnborough. The train
stopped at Basingstoke, where Mr. Stovin supplied her
Majesty with the morning papers, and it arrived at
Farnborough at half-past 11.
The royal party immediately left in four carriages for
Windsor under an escort of cavalry.

• , .2,,, =won
4.ttry

TRENT VALLEY, MIDLANDS, AND
GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY.—(THIS DAY.)
A special general meeting of the shareholders of this
company was held to-day, at two o'clock, at the com-
pany's offices, 19, Great George-street, Westminster.
HENRY TOOTAT, Esq., deputy-chairman, having taken
the chair, said his first duty was to express his extreme
regret that the chair was not occupied by the chairman,
the Hon. Colonel Anson. He held in his hand a letter,
stating that severe domestic affliction, namely the death of
one of his children, prevented him from being present.
The SECRETARY read the advertisement, and after-
wards the report of the directors. It stated that the
meeting had been specially convened to take into consi-
deration the proposed amalgamation of the company
with the North Staffordshire Company, to ratify the
agreements, dated the 23d February and 19th June,
1846, to that effect, and to confbr the necessary powers
on the directors for fully effectuating that object. The
capital stock of the amalgamated company would con-
sist of 945,0001., composed of 78,750 shares of 121. each,
of which 35,000 would belong to the Tresat Valley Com-
pany, and a 121. share in the amalgamated company
would he issued to each holder of one 20/. scrip.
The accounts showed a sum of 73,5001. receipts and de-
posits up to the 22d SepteMber instant, and 12,710/. 15s.
6d. payments on account of expenses, thereby leaving a
balance of 60,789/. 4s. 6d.
The CHAIRMAN congratulated the shareholders, on
their first meeting after obtaining the Act. At an early
stage of their proceedings the circumstance of another
company having been formed, which aimed at the same
objects and traversed the same country, was a reason
hy the directors felt anxious that they should be
brought together. He bad now the pleasure to tell them
that the agreements for amalgamation had been pre-
pared, and now all that was necessary to complete it was
the consent of Parliament. He believed the railway
would benefit the country through which it was con-
structed, and be remunerative to those who had invested
their capital in it. He moved that the report now read
be received and adopted, printed, and circulated among
the members.

Mr. J. W. UNETT seconded the motion, which was
carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN said the next business was the
election of directors ; he wished, therefore, to state that
in the terms of the amalgamation, the South Stafford-
shire Company appointed ten of the directors, and the
Trent Valley eight.
The eight retiring directors were then unanimously
re-elected.

Messrs. George Sanders, Wakefield, and James Dur-
ham, were appointed auditors, at a salary of 25/. each.
The CHAIRMAN said the special business of the day
now came before the meeting, namely, the approval of
the,amalgamati,,n of the Trent Valley with the South
Staffordshire. The other company were to find of the
whole capital 525,0001., and the Trent Valley 420,0001.
The SECRETARY then read a series of resolutions
voting the amalgamation of the two companies, and
authorising the directors to carry it out.
The CHAIRMAN moved these resolutions.
Mr. BEALE seconded them, and they passed unani-
mously. .
A PROPRIETOR said he observed that the 201. shares
were cow reduced 12/.; he wished to know when the bor-
rowing clause would come into operation, if at all?
The CHAIRMAN said the reduction was Necessary; as
the capital of the two companies would have been more
than was needed, and they had still the same power to
borrow to the extent of one-half as before.
A PROPRIETOR wished to know whether this company
would make the Shewbellow Branch, or would leave it
to be made by the Grand Junction Company ?
The CHAIRMAN said it would be made, but by whom
he could not yet say.
Mr. WALKINGSHA.W moved a vote of thanks to the
directors, which was seconded, and carried unanimously.
The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN returned thanks, and the
meeting then separated.

GREAT EASTERN AND WESTERN
R A ILWAY.— (THIS DAY.)
A meeting of the scripholders and shareholders in this
company was held at the company's offices, 5, Gresham-
street, City, for the purpose of determining whether or
not the company should be dissolved. Mr. Ward, M.P.,
was voted to the chair.
The advertisemnt convening the meeting having been
read, the following gentlemen were appointed scruti-
neers, viz., Messrs Sparkman, iluberstey, and Crosbie.
The meeting then adjourned to the Guildhall Coffee-

house.
The CHAIRMAN having made a long personal expla-
nation as to the occasion of his former non-attendance,
Mr. COHEN said he wished to know whether the
meeting was duly called in compliance with the require-
ments of the shareholders.
The SECRETARY then read the case put to Mr. Lloyd,
the barrister, and the opinion of the counsel that the

present meeting was strictly legal.
After some desultory conversation,
The CHAIRMAN said that with regard to the delay
that had occurred in the calling of the meeting, in the
first place, till the passing of Lord Dalhousie's Act, they
had no power to dissolve the company. A meeting
would have been called immediately after the Act had
been passed had not the directors been in negotiation with
the Newport and Abergavenny Railway Company. The
directors had an agreement, by which the shareholders
were secured the possession of oae half of the shares in
that Company if they chose to avail themselves of such a
power. The Hon. Gentleman then entered into an ex-
planation of the various meetings which had been held,
and of the reasons for his not attending, and the com-
pulsion to which he was subjected to perform official
duties at the Admiralty, &c., respecting which such
severe comments had been made. Then, with regard
to the subsequent notices that had been served on them
(the directors), there was some informality in all of
them. If the notices thus served on him had
been legal, he would have attended, as he had ob-
tained Lord Auckland's permission to do so.
From these statements, which he felt it his :duty to
make, it was evident that he did not intend to run away
from them. He, as well as the other directors, had no
intention or desire of frustrating the dissolution of the
company as to the terms upon which that disso-
lution was to be effected.— (Cries of "Hear, hear.") An
opinion was entertained that the shareholders had a
claim on the directors for 40s. a share. Now the circu-
lars that had been issued contained a complete perversion
of the facts of the case. As to the legal claims of any body
of shareholders against the directors, it was a matter that
must be decided by a legal test. But it had been put to
them a s a moral obligation to meet the views of the
sharelu aders on this point. If he could see that that
moral obligation existed he, for one, would not be with-
held b)' legal technicalities from acceding to the views
of the sh areholders. But he denied that such was the case.
The documents to which he referred, and which con-
tained th-e statement as to the obligation of the directors,
altogetbest omitted the words "preliminary expenses"
in all theix statements. Now, it was absurd to suppose
that any- men of sense would attempt to carry on
a line o f any length for 10s. a mile. Such
a thing we s never known in the railway world, and cer-
tainly was never contemplated by him. The simple
questim i ft r the shareholders to consider was, whether
or not t hey (the directors) 'had discharged themselve s
properly •of the duties which they had agreed to perform
in the us Aclertaking in which they had embarked, with the
rest of tl se shareholders. They were all suffering from
the engi n.?er's conduct. (The Chairman here read a
letter, Iv' i-tten by him to Mr. Gravatt, the engineer, de
precatint ; his delay in proceeding with the line, and
concludit 3g- with the words, " that if the line was not
prosecut. K 1 it would be a disgrace.")
Mr. Cc )R xx—Why then go to Parliament?
The C u. tIRMAN—By adopting that proceeding they
were nov i in a position to resist the whole
demamd of Mr. Gravatt, as well as to pro-
ceed agai nat him for the money already paid.
Having•' giv en a historyof the Parliamentary battles of the
company; he, in conclusion, said he had only to repeat
that he on ly desired that there should be a satisfactory
arrang( Imoont, and as far as he himself was concerned, he
was pre ,ceded by his position from any future connexion
with ra %ways.
Ame yat protracted discussion ensued, after which the
secretes y read a financial statement. From this it appeared
that the ,money received was 103,2311. 4s. 9d., while the
is exceeded 40,0001. The balance in the bankers'
hands twos 42,59 W., and the outstanding claims were for
the soli tors, 13,1421.; the local agents, 1,7821. 15s. 2d.;
to Mr. ( iravatt, 7,5001., &e.
Capta itt HEAVISIDE then moved, and Mr. GRIFFIN
s'econdet I, that the company should be dissolved, which
w.as cart it d.
It was : then moved by Mr. GRIFFIN that this dissolu-
tion shot L 'd not be taken for an act of bankruptcy.
Mr.. Er ;GUSH seconded the motion, which was car-
ried, E the meeting separated.

VOL CA_ NO OF SADDLE ISLAND, IN THE RED SEA.
—A d 7 ,sp: itch received at Lloyd's yesterday afternoon
from th e East India-house, enclosing a copy of a letter
from L i.e utenant Barker, of the Hon. East India Com-
pany's s team-vessel; Victoria, announces that on the
14th of hist August smoke was observed to issue from
the sum mit of Saddle Island, in lat. 15 7, N., lon. 42 12,
E. Th 9 weather at the time was very squally, with
thunder and lightning. Saddle Island is one of the
group c al led " Zebayer" Islands, in the Red Sea, in the
direct ti a( A( of vessels proceeding up and down, and are
all of vo lei mite origin; but there is neither record nor tra-
dition of :tl ieir having been in active operation. Jibble
Seir in lat .15 32, N., and lon. 41 55, E., was observed
to be sir dc ing when visited by the officers of the Benares
during o.e survey of the Red Sea, but never since.
There is . ;a tradition among the Arab pilots of its having
been on litre some fifty years ago, and it bears among
many of tVlem the name of Jibble Dookhan, or " Hill of
Smoke," 4t nd has the appearance of having been in
active o per ation at a much later period than the Zebayer
Islands.
On t he morning of the 11 th instant, while M. Juan
Carillo, Te siding in the Rue Dcl Nino at Madrid, was
alone in .1 is house, his servants having both gone out to
execute cc Mme commissions, three men armed with pistols
and po'ign ards entered, and having gagged him, took
from his pocket a bunch of keys and opened his secre-
tary, fro n which they took money to the amount of
30,000 re als, (7,500 f.), with which they went off, or-
del_;ng I . Carillo, under pain of death, not to make the
slightt'st movement, or to remove the gag until they
had read ed the street. The robbers did not attempt
twohtioethichait.
of the sere. . any of the plate or other valuable property
• house contained, doubtless fearing the return
lilts, of whose temporary absence they must
have been al,"are•
A slight shL ,ck of earthquake was felt, says tte
Observoteur elf; .Pureneeß, last week at Lonviejuzon.