The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-22 00:00:00

DIRECT LINCOLN, EAST RET-
FORD, AND SHEFFIELD JUNCTION RAIL-

WAY.

A meeting of the directors and shareholders of this
company was held yesterday, at the George and Vulture
Tavern, George-yard, Lombard-street, pursuant to an
advertisement which appeared in the Gazette of the 11th
December last, to consider the propriety of dissolving
the CompalW, and to carry out a resolution to that effect
which was adopted at a meeting held on the 9th inst.
J. B. Shuttleworth, Esq., took the chair. Scrutineers
having been appointed,
The CHAIP.MAN stated that the meeting had now to
decide whether the company should be dissolved, and
whether with or without a bankruptcy?
Mr. GRIPPER proposed, and Mr. PRICE seconded, a
motion that the company be dissolved, and that without
a bankruptcy.
The scrutineers having made the investigation of the
shares, reported that 3,575 shares had been paid upon
before the 31st March last, and of these 2,140 had been
presented to them for voting, and which were given for
the dissolution of the company.
A SHAREEOLDER inquired why his shares were rejected
in the voting paper, and was informed by the solicitor
that his shares were only excluded because they were
issued after the 31st of March, the clause of the Act re-
quiring that no shares should be admitted but those issued
before that date.

Mr. BE AN (the !ate Secretary) inquired what had
been done with the box taken from his office ?

Mr. TUCKER denied any knowledge of the box,' or
that at any time he had been near Mr. Bevan's office.
Several Shareholders inquired whether it was intended
to repudiate the shares which had been issued after the
31st of March?
The CHAIRMAN declared that there was no intention
to repudiate those shares, but the clause of the Act of
Parliament excluded them from voting.
Mr. J. BROWN proposed, and Nix. R. EKYN seconded,
a resolution to the effect, that the dissolution shall not
be considered an act of bankruptcy.
The resolution was carried by a large majority, and
after much violent language, and a great deal of alterca-
tion, the meeting was dissolved.

WATERFORD, WEXFORD, WICK-
LOW, AND DUBLIN RAILWAY.
The first ordinary general meeting of the proprietors
of the Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, and Dublin Rail-
way was held yesterday at the offices of the company,
West Strand; Lord Courtown in the chair.
The meeting was made special for the purpose of
authorising the directors to apply to Parliament in the
ensuing session for powers to deviate from the existing
line.

The CHAIRMAN stated that a report had been pre-
pared to be submitted to the shareholders, but the
directors had since had a communication with two gen-
tlemen from Dublin, and they therefore did not intend
to sake any vote upon the document.
The report stated that as soon as practicable after the
company had obtained its Act the directors proceeded to
the consideration of the best manner in which it could
be carried out, and the plan the directors now desired
the proprietors to adopt was, first, that the extension
from Kingstown to Bray be forthwith carried out—dis-
tance, seven miles—and thence continued from Bray to
Wicklow—distance, seventeen miles ; secondly, from
the junction with the Wexford, Carlow, and Dublin
line at or near Enniscorthy to Wexford, and to the
proposed packet station in the south bay, a
distance of twenty-six miles ; and, thirdly, that
the purchase of land should be made with reference to
this arrangement of the works, and the payment of calls
should be so regulated that no part of the capital should
be demanded before it was actually required. The
directors estimated that a call of 11. 10s. per share
ought to be made forthwith, and a second call of 11. per
share, payable in November, would be adequate to the
outlay consequent on such an arrangement of the
works for the year 1847. It had been resolved to allow
interest at the rate of 41. per cent. per annum,
upon calls as paid up, and 5 per cent. for payments in
advance of calls. The Barony of Newcastle, in the
county of Wicklow, had come forward in support of
this line by having made a presentation, under the Board
of Works Act, to advance 20,0001. towards promoting
the works. The receipts, consisting of deposits on
75,186 shares, at 1/. 108. each, amounted to 112,779 L,
and the payments to 39,8534 I6s. 4d., leaving a balance
of 72,925/. 3s. Bd. in hand.
Mr. Alderman BorcE, a member of the deputation sent
from Ireland to advise the company upon the present
position and future prospects of the line, stated that he
and the other myabers of the deputation waited upon ,1
the directors on Saturday, and pointed out to them the
impropriety of attempting to carry out the line in the
present state of Ireland.--(Hear, hear.) The directors
received them with the utmost courtesy, and lis-
tened attentively to what they had to say. At
the conclusion of the interview the directors ap-
pointed another interview for that morning, and
this latter interview had just been brought to a close,
and the result was, the directors were prepared to con-
cede to the deputation an adjournment of the meeting
till the 17th of February, 1847, when proper and well-
digested measures would be submitted to the share-
holders for their future guidance. He, therefore, begged
to move the adjournment accordingly.
Mr. GEORGE seconded the motion.
Mr. DICKSON found fault with the conduct of the di-
rectors in leasing the Dublin and Kingstown at an extra-
vagant rate of interest, while they had taken powers to
improve the port of Wexford, with which the share-
holders had nothing at all to do, and in issuing shares
since the month of August. The directors promised
that the line should be leased to the Great Western
Company, but they had broken faith with the share-
holders. lie also complained that they had withheld the
share register wantonly from the proprietors.
Mr. BOSWELL said he understood the directors, upon
the advice of Mr. Lloyd and other eminent counsel, had
determined to hold the original allottees responsible to
the extent for which they had subscribed ; and, acting
upon that principle, they had confiscated some tens of
thousands worth of property, which had been purchased
from original allottees themselves. All railways in Ire-
land were at a ruinous discount, and he could assure the
meeting that the accounts of the awful state of Ireland
were not at all exaggerated.
Mr. PEIRCE wished to know who would be entitled to
vote at the adjourned meeting?
The CHAIRMAN replied that those whose names were
on the register would be entitled to vote.
Mr. BENSON urged upon the directors to make propo-
sals to the Great Western Company to lease the line.
Their only hope was in a lease to that company.
Sir T. ASMONDE said this company had no connexion
whatever with the company for improving the harbour
of Wexford.
Mr. D. W. HARVEY suggested, that if before the ad-
journment no offer came from or was accepted by the
Great Western Company, it should be one of the ques-
tions for them to eonsirler whether 'hey could not dis-
pense with the services of those gentlemen on the diree
tion who were connected with the Great Western Com-
pany. He approved of the agreement for leasing the
Dublin and Kingstown Railway, because the receipts
already derivable from that line exceeded the rent they
were to pay for it ; and he had reason to believe
that the Dublin and Kingstown Railway Com-
pany were preoared to nullify that agreement,
and to take their line off their hands, reimbursing them
all the money they had expended up to that morn.nt.
He hoped, when they met again, the deputation, or the
directors, would have some definite proposition to sub-
mit to them by which the shareholders could either have
the option of withdrawing from the undertaking, or
going on with it.
Mr. PERRY, another member of the deputation from
Ireland, stated that it was understood, and indeed agreed
upon by the directors, that the deputation should have
access to all such information as a committee of inquiry
wound have been entitled to.
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously,
and a vote of thanks having been passed to the Chair,
man, the meeting terminated.

CITY OF LONDON ELECTIONS.

WARD OF CRIPPLEGATE WITHIN.
The election of Common Councilmen for the ward of
Cripplegate Within took place yesterday, at the School-
rooms in Philips-lane.
Mr. Alderman CHALLIS presided, and gave the names
of the following candidates:—Mr. R. L. Wilson, Mr. D.
Dewar, Mr. J. Lart, Mr. William Cash, Mr. Willie
Brass, Mr. B. Brown, Mr. 11. J. Smith, Mr. Jamas
Mole. Mr. Alderman Challis inquired if anv gentle-
man had any other candidate to propose.
Mr. LIaNIs proposed Mr. Francis Bennoch.
Mr. BARTON seconded the motion, and said that in
his opinion Mr. Bennoch was the gentleman most likely
to bring about that reform which was so much needed
in the Court of Common Council, and which was the
only body of its kind which had not been reformed.
Mr. BENNOCH said that it was some time since he had
stood before the Livery of the City, and he hoped that
he had faithully discharged the promises which he had
made to them last year. He felt that there were many
grievances which it would be necessary to endeavour to
remove. Amongst these was the duty upon tea: many re-
forms had lately,taken place, but he, and many others, felt
that these duties were of a nature calculated to
decrease instead of increasing the revenues of
the Exchequer—(Hear, hear)—and more likely
than otherwise to press heavily upon the consumer.
He had observed with pain and regret that many evils
beg arisen from the deficient supply of water to the
poorer classes of the metropolis, and would do all in his
power to abate so crying an evil. He had also observed
a fact in connexion with railways. The commission for
inquiring into the proposed railway from Vauxhall to
London-bridge had reported against the central metro-
politan terminus, and he felt that their representation was
likely to cause the most serious inconvenience to the inha-
bitants of London, and he, for one, should do his utmost
to oppose it. With reference to the great dispute be-
aTreen the Court of Aldermen and the Court of Common
Council, he felt that there wag not a body which re-
quired reform more than the Court of Aldermen. What
vfaa the use of any resolution that might be adopted by
the Court of Common Council when the Court of Alder-
men had, or assumed, the power of checking them at
will? That Court as
at will, and without t:euracoe
d ntrthoi of any
of drawing money
any other portion of the
Corporation, and he felt that the time was come when
a serious reform in the whole system of the Corporation
ef the city of London 'was nweaceassary, and he, for one,
should support it. There one great and crying
evil which had long existed in ti3ine
e,euertte(i)ffoAldermen,
and that was, that its members, being
not responsible. In his opinion, they shr lould bfee,mwaedree
responsible by an annual election, or even a septennial
t
election. Such a course was most likely
ft„o7.
wouldo
extensive reformation of the system, He,
support every measure calculated to bring about so de_
sirable an event, and on these grounds he asked for the
nnOch then submitted
oupport of the Livery Mr. Be

the following resolutions, to be proposed by him in the
Court of Common Council, to the meeting :
" That the assembling of the Court of Common
Council at one o'clock in the day is most inconvenient to
members engaged in business. That it has the ten-
dency to exclude from this Court merchants, bankers,
and professional men, to whom the early part of the
afternoon is all-important. That it prevents the due
consideration of questions brought forward for discus-
sion; and therefore it is expedient that all Courts of
Common Council be held at four for five o'clock in the
afternoon, or such later hour as may be considered more
convenient.

'• That the state of education in Great Britain and
Ireland is confessedly deficient and lamentsly defective.
That the existence of so much ignorance is a
reproach to the nation, and greatly to be de-
plored ; inasmuch as poverty, destitution, misery,
and crime are—if not the consequence of it—seldom
found dissociated from it. As the means hitherto em-
ployed for the increase of knowledge among the people
have proved insufficient for the necessities of the popula-
tion, the assistance of the State becomes an imperative
necessity. It is not only an act of justice and mercy,
but also to the interest, safety, and security of society
that no subject within these realms should longer con-
tinue without the opportunity of mental enlightenment,
as a means of moral elevation and physical improve-
ment.

That an humble address, based upon the foregoing
considerations, be presented to her Majesty the Queen,
praying that she will be graciously pleased to exercise
every legitimate influence vested in the Crown to urge
forward in the ensuing session of Parliament such mea-
sures as shall provide for the general education of the
people."—(Loud cheers.)
The various candidates then addressed the meeting,
most of them complaining of the power assumed by the
Court of Aldermen.

Mr. Alderman CIIALLIS assured the gentlemen pre-
sent that the Court of Aldermen were quite as
desirous of a reform in the Corporation as
the Court of Common Council, and the mo-
ment the Court of Common Council took any steps
in the matter, they would be joined by the Court of
Aldermen. With regard to the sums of money drawn
by the Court of Aldermen, and the complaint made
about it, he thought that " those who lived in glass houses
should not throw stones," for, for every penny drawn by the
Aldermen, a pound was drawn by the Court of Common
Council. He did not say that those sums were mis-
applied, for the members of both bodies did their duty
to the utmost, but, as many complaints were made, he
thought that any reform or inquiry would be beneficial.
The poll was then proceeded with, when the num-
bers were, at the close of the first day—
fr. Smith, Deputy ... 1; Mr. Brass
Mr, Bennoch

Mr. Ho°le
Mr. Brown

Ain Lan
qr.Wilson*

Mr. Dewar ......... ..... 161
*Conservative.
Other business haring been disposed of, the wardmote
separated.