The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-22 00:00:00

.REAT EASTERN AND WESTERN

RAILWAY.

A meeting of the shareholders in this comnany was
held yesterday, at the London T4v4.rn, at one o'clock.
Mr. MAI:BERT, having been called to tt e chair said
the meeting had been convened to take the affairs of the
company into consideration, and to cktc rmine whether
the company should be dissolved. The first thing the
gentlemen present would proceed to would be the ap-
pointment of scrutineers.

- Messrs. Spackman, Cohen, and Burby were elected
scrutineers.

Mr. STANDISH MOTTE begged to ask whether the
meeting had been legally convened. Ho said he
did so, for he had taken some trouble to inform
himself on the subject, and he found the directors
had had good legal advice, to the effect that this
meeting was illegal, and theirs, to be convened on the
23d instant, legal. He submitted that it would be better,
considering there was but a difference now of two days,
to postpone their proceedings until they should meet
with the directors on the 23d inst. It would both be
more judicious and more courteous. He was sure that
nothing unfair would be done in this meeting, especially
so long as Mr. Maubert occupied the chair. But the
proceedings here might involve the company in a suit
in a court of law, and put the shareholders to consider-
able trouble and expense without furthering their end.
Ho therefore moved that this meeting be adjourned till
the 23d inst.

Mr. MALINSON, of Huddersfield, begged to know
clearly whether the shareholders had given the directors
notice requiring them to call a meeting? Again, had
they answered that call within a legal time?

..
Mr. SPACKMAN said notice had been given them;
several requisitions had been put into their hands; but
they had not answered these by calling a meeting within
six days.

Mr. MaurrsoN—Then wherein is this meeting ille-
gal? He thought they had been duped long enough,
and hoped the meeting would proceed to business.
Mr. MOTTE said he had the opinion of a highly re-
spectable legal gentleman Mr. Lloyd, which was de-
cidedly against the legality of this meeting. The
directors could not advertise in the first Gazette after
receiving the requisition, and by advertising in the next
they were delayed beyond the six days, but not placed
in an illegal position.
Mr. SPACEMAN explained that the meeting ought to
have been called within six days of the requisition, and
have been held within fifteen days after the appearance
of the advertisement. The directors had not called a
meeting within the six days specified, and the advertise-
ment which they had published called a meeting some
nineteen days after ; so that in both respects their
meeting for the 23d was illegal. If that meeting then
should be illegal, and this meeting were dissolved with-
out proceeding to business, the shareholders would have
no return for six months to come. But if at this meet-
ing they should vote a dissolution of the company, and
the same determination were come to at the meeting of
the 23d, no harut would be done.
After some other conversation,
The CHAIRMAN said the motion could not be put, as
the only question before them was the dissolution of the
company.
Mr. HENRY SMITH moved that this company be dis-
solved.
Mr. WILLIAM LAWRENCE seconded the motion.
Mr. SPACKMAN moved that the dissolution be not an
act of bankruptcy.
The CHAIRMAN put both questions to the meeting;
and the shareholders proceeded to vote, when there
voted 9,295 for the dissolution, but as 13,500 are re-
quired to make up the one-third, the meeting was ad-
journed till Friday next.

GUILDFORD JUNCTION RAIL-

WAY.

An adjourned meeting of the shareholders of this
company was held yesterday, at the Loudon Tavern, at
three o'clock.

Mr. MANGLES, M.P., having taken the chair, called
on the Secretary, Mr. Rand, to read the report, from
which it appeared that after liquidating all claims there
remained in band a balance of 3,100/., divisible among
the proprietors, being 2/. 16s. 4d. on each of the 1,100
shares into which the capital of the company is divided.
Mr. BLACKMORE, in rising to move the resolution,
eulogised the assiduity and attention of the directors.
They went to Parliament in 1843 ; the royal assent was
given in 1844 to their Bill, and the contracts for the con
struction of the line having been made and fulfilled, it
was in operation in the month of May, 1841. Yet, under
these circumstances, he believed the cost of the line had
been as moderate as any railway in the kingdom.
The CHAIRMAN—It is the cheapest in England.
Mr. BLACKMORE continued—ln 1845 there were pro-
Jects talked of, which, if carried into execution, might
have annihilated their line, but by the efforts of the
directors this company had been able to come to a bar-
gain with the South Western. The result of that
bargain had placed 3,180/. at the disposal of the
shareholders. lie moved, therefore, that out of the sur-
plus of 3,1004 there should be a division of 21 ss. a
share amongst the shareholders, and that the balance of
625/. should be placed at the disposal of the directors,
fur their attention to the interests of the proprietors.
Mr. FIELD said he would have only divided 2/. a share,
but be concurred with the mover, and seconded the re-
solution.

The CHAIRMAN stated that the line cost only 52,0001.
lie added that he had only now, on behalf of himself and
the other directors, as this was a virtual dissolution of
the company, to return the proprietors his sincere
thanks for the kind support which they had given.
The motion was put and carried.

Mr. MARSHALL then moved a vote of thanks to the
Chairman, which was seconded by Mr. CURRIE, and
passed unanimously.

EAST AND WEST INDIA DOCKS
AND BIRMINGHAM JUNCTION RAILWAY.

The first general meeting of the proprietors and
shareholders of the East and West India Docks and
Birmingham Junction Railway Company took place
yesterday, at the Company's offices, 5, Church•passage,
Guildhall, for the purposes mentioned in the Act of In-
corporation and the Companies Clauses Consolidation
Act.
John Scott, Esq., took the chair shortly after one
o'clock, when the seal of the company having been
affixed to the book of registration,
The CHAIRMAN congratulated the proprietors on the
successful result of their application to Parliament, and
trusted that the proprietors would be satisfied with the
exertions that had been made by them on their behalf.
He would now call upon the Secretary to read the report.
The SECRETARY then read the report, from which it
appeared that the receipts were 59,71.5 L, and the ex-
penditure, 8,4291., leaving a balance of upwards of
51,0001.
The report, after a few observations from some of
the shareholders present, was received, adopted, and
ordered to be printed and circulated among the pro-
prietors.
George Carr Glyn, Esq., was appointed a director
in the room of Pascoe Grenfell, Esq., who had resigned.
Mr. George Grenfell Glyn and Mr. Bright were ap-
pointed auditors at a salary of 20/. per annum.
BONAMY DORREE, Esq., moved that the sum of 1,000/.
should be set apart for the remuneration of the directors
for their past services, and that the same be continued
annually until the opening of the railway.
The motion having been seconded,
A PROPRIETOR moved, as an amendment, that 500/.
instead of 1.0001. be set apart for the remuneration of
the directors. After some short discussion, this amend-
ment was withdrawn, and the original motion carried
unanimously.
The Ctiant3tax stated, in answer to the question of a
proprietor, that due notice would be given to the proprie-
tors of any call that was intended to be made by the
directors.
Captain MANGLES, M.P., thought that after the report
of the Commissioners with respect to the City termini,
this company, if it could come to an arrangement with
the Blackwall Railway, would have the only City ter
minus. He had been told the Blackwell Company had
a large quantity of land near Fenchurch-street that
would arswer the purpose.
The CifaTastax, in answer to a question from a
proprietor, said that it was the intention of the di-
rectors to allow interest upon the deposits ; that none
of the works had yet commenced, but that a great num-
ber of bargains had been made with landowners upon
the line.
Thanks were then voted to the chairman and directors,
and the meeting broke up.

ELECTRIFIED SPARROWS.— It is not a singular fact
but it is, notwithstanding, a fact which some of our
readers may be ignorant of, that sparrows and other
small birds which happen to perch on those mysterious
lines of communication, the telegraph wires, are des-
tined, ever and anon, to suffer severe shocks of electri-
city, the effect of which is (though we never witnessed
the phenomenon), that they drop down, not dead, but
half dead with amazement and terror. The shock, if
severe enough, would destroy them. Electricity can be
administered in doses which would kill a horse. Per-
haps by transmitting through the telegraphic wire a very
powerful charge, the unhappy sparrows along the whole
line from London to Yarmouth might be cut off. This,
in a case of necessity, or as a matter of cruel curiosity,
might be employed as a means of getting rid of these
vermin. It is not uncommon or extraordinary to see a
hundred of these feathered depredators on one mile of
wire. The length of the whole line of which we
speak is 146 miles. A shock strong enough to de
stroy sparrow life, would, with these data, cut of
from the land of the living, at one fell and fatal
swoop, not less than 14,600 of these pernicious little
creatures. One thousand miles of railway would in like
manner, and with the same conditions, be the death of
100,000. Even supposing that death does not ensue, yet
so miserable will be the: fete f these little
when the whole island is covered with a veritable net-
work of telegraphic wires ! Fatal twigs these for tiny
feet ! The whole f 'roily of sparrows will be paralysed.
The fowls of the a:r will be electrified. People as they
talk with each other, and whisper to each other, in un
heard communion, at the distance of 100 miles, said be
causing serious inconvenience to the feathered race. It
Lord Palmerston's dream should be realised, and London
should beg '
nin a few years to commune by telegraph
with Calcutta, how terrible the visitation to our fellow-
bipeds with feathers ! Each word, each letter will be
a shock. To us it may be pleasing so to hold inter-
course with each other—to the little sufferers it will be
shocking. We tremble to think of the consequences,
and heartily recommend the case to the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Dog-carts sink into
insignificance when compared with this wholesale pal-
pitation—this universal twittering and consternation—
among the feathered tribes. How many a sweet song
,will be interrupted—how many a little throat silenced—
very suddenly indeed, when this mischievous machinery
shall be brought into universal play !—Cambridge Ad-1
vertiar.

COMMUTA

TION OF TITHES.

An Act received the re) al assent on :he 25th of last
month for arn.--n li g the former Acts riating to the
commu'ation of tithes.
Clause 1. enacts that where, under any agreement or
award which has been or hereafter shall be c ).firmed
by the Commissioners, the amount of the rent-charge
agreed or awarded to be paid instead of the tithes of
any parish shall not exceed the sum of fifteen pounds,
and shall not have been apportioned, or the apportion-
ment of such rent-charge shall not have been confirmed
by the Commissioners, it shall be lawful for the owners
of the land chargeable therewith, or any of them, with
the consent of the person or persons for the time being
entitled to the receipt thereof, or, in the case of an in-
fant, femme covert, or lunatic, with the consent of the
guardian, husband, or committee of the estate of the
person so under disability, to redeem such rent-charge
on payment, in manner hereinafter mentioned (within
such time as the Commissioners shall in each case limit
in this behalf), of a sum of money not less than twenty-
four times the amount of such rent- charge.
2. The Commissioners are to give notice of the time
within which the rent-charge shall be redeemed, and on
the money being paid the Commissioners are to certify
that the parish has been discharged from rent-charge
and tithe.
3. In every case in which, by any instrument of ap-
portionment confirmed under the provisions of the said
Acts, any rent-charge or portion of rent-charge has been
or shall have been (by reason of error as to boundary or
otherwise) charged on lands not within the parish in re-
spect of the tithes of which the aggregate rent-charge
the apportionment of which shall hare been so confirmed
was agreed or awarded to be paid, such rent-charge or
portion of rent-charge so charged on lands not within
the parish, shall be redeemable on payment by the owners
of the lands charged with the residue of such aggregate
rent-charge or any of them of a sum of money equal to
twenty-four times the amount of the rent- charge or por-
tion of rent-charge, hereby made redeemable, and it
shall be lawful for the Commissioners before they pro
teed to direct a new apportionment to give notice that
the rent-charge or portion of rent-charge so erroneously
apportioned on lands not within the parish may be re-
deemed, under the provisions of this Act, within a time
in such notice to be limited in this behalf.
4. After the payment of the money the Commissioners
are to certify the redemption, and the apportionment in
all other respects is to be valued.
5. In every case in which, under any confirmed instru-
ment of apportionment or any altered apportionment
under the power of the said Acts, the whole amount of
the rent-charge or separate portion of rent-charge with
which the l'inds of any owner shall be charged in respect
either of all tithes or any kind of tithes payable to se-
parate titheowners shall be a sum not exceeding twenty
shillings, it shall be lawful fur such owner at his option,
and with the consent of the person or persons for the
time being entitled to the receipt thereof, at any time to
redeem such rent-charge or separate portion of rent-
charge on payment, according to the provisions of this
Act, of such a sum of money as shall be not less than
twenty-four times the amount of the rent-charge or por-
tion of rent-charge ; and after payment of such consi-
deration-money according to the provisions of this Act,
the Commissioners shall certify that such rent-charge or
portion of rent-charge has been redeemed, and the same,
from and after the payment of the half-yearly portion
of such rent-charge or portion of rent-charge which
shall next accrue due subsequently to the time of the
payment of such consideration-money, shall cease and
be extinguished.
6. The Commissioners at the request of the owner of
the land are to certify the sum of money for which the
rent-charge may be redeemed, and when the tender of
the money has been made, to certify that it has been
redeemed.
7. When the party receiving the rent-charge is en-
titled in fee-simple in possession, the tender of the
money is to be deemed a due payment ; in other cases
the payment of the money is to be a discharge of the
consideration.
8. Consideration for redemption of rent-charges pay-
able to spiritual owners to be paid to governors of
Queen Anne's bounty, to be applied in augmentation of
benefices.
9. Makes provision for the payment of the money when
the persons entitled are under disabilities.
10. If the redemption money is under 20/.; it shall, if
the Commissioners shall so direct, be paid to the person
for the time being entitled for his own use and benefit.
11. Powcr is given to the owner of an estate not in
fee simple to charge the expenses of redemption upon
the estate for twenty years.
12. Commissioners' certificates of redemption to show
amount of consideration for the same.

13. That where lands now charged, or hereafter to be
charged, with rent-charges or portions of rent-charges
under confirmed instruments of apportionment have been
or shall be (lifter the confirmation of such apportion-
ment) inclosed or divided, allo:ted or exchanged, by
agreement or award made under the powers of any
general or local Act of enclosure (or otherwise), in such
manner that the apportionment shall appear to the Com-
missioners to be inconvenient with reference to the
altered distribution of land among the several owners
thereof, it shall be lawful for the Commissioners, upon
the application of the owners of such lands, or the ma-
jority in number and value of such owners, or upon the
application of the person or persons entitled to such rent-

charges or portions of rent--charges, or any of them, to
make or confirm an altered instrument of apportion-
ment adapted to the altered distribution of the lands, in
order that the rent-charges or portions of rent charges
originally charged on the several portions of lands which
shall have been taken or allotted away from the former
owners on such enclosure, division, allotment, or ex

change, shall be charged on the lands which shall hare
been allotted or received in the way of substitution or
compensation for the lands so taken or allotted away
from the former owners thereof, or as near thereto as
circumstances will admit.

14. The expenses of this alteration of the apportion-
ment to be borne by the owner of the lands.
15. Power is given to the Commissioners to make a
supplemental award or apportionment when a mistake
has been made as to the person entitled to the tithe.
16. Lands on which doubts have arisen as to exemp-
tion, &c., may be declared a separate district for com-
mutation, and the award to be valid for the other parts

of the perish.
17. Place of deposit of copy of confirmed apportion-
ment may bs altered by quarter sessions.
18. Tithes or rent charge in lieu thereof may be
merged after agreement or award, but
_before appor-
tionment.

19. Powers relating; to the merger, &e. of any tithes
may be executed by a person entitled in equity.
20. 1 and 2 Vict. e. 64, to be construed as part of
the Commutation Acts.

21. In every case in which the judgment of determina-
tion of the Commissioners already given respecting the
boundary of any parish, township, district, or lundi shall
not have been removed into the Court of Q.ieun's Bench
by certiorari within the time limited in that behalf, such

judgment or determination shall be valid and con-
clusive notwithstanding any want of form in such

judgment or determination, or in the award in which the
same may be set forth, and although it may not appear
on the face of such award, judgment, or determination,
or otherwise, that the commissioners or assistant COM-

missioner had jurisdiction in relation to such boundary.
22. That the provisions of the said Act of the session
of Parliament holden in the fifth and sixth years of the
reign of her Majesty for the exchange of glebe lands for
other lands shall authorise and be deemed to have autho

rised the exchange of glebe lands for other lands, al-
though at the time of such exchange, or of the applica-
tions in relation thereto, no proceedings for or concern-
ing the commutation of tithes in the parish in which
such glebe lands may be situate shall have been pending,
and whether the commutation of tithes in such parish
shall or shall not have been completed.
23. Provides that this Act is to be construed as part
of the Tithe Commutation Acts ; and 24 makes the
usual provisions for amendment.

DARING ROBBERIES.-011 Friday information o

the following robberies was received by the police:—
From the store room of Mr. Peter's coach factory, Adam-
street West, St. Marylebone, about fifty yards ofcrimson
lutestring silk, eleven yards of fine drab cloth, and a pair
of Wellington boots; from the office of the clerk to the
Board of Guardians of St. Luke, Chelsea, six sovereigns,
two half-sovereigns, 13s. 6d. in silver, fivepence in
copper, and a black dress coat; from the house of Sir
John Hall, her Majesty's Dockyard, Deptford, a 101.
Bank of England note, No. 96,005, dated the 4th of July,
1846; from the house of Mr. Brooks, 4, South-row ,New-
road, five silver tablespoons, six dessert spoons, three
teaspoons, three saltspoons, and a soup ladle, all King's
pattern, and four dessert knives and four forks, with
pearl handles.
RAILWAY MEMBERS.—AS railways are becoming
the "Fifth Estate," it is time they should be represented
in Parliament, more especially as it is an estate which
covers more land than all the other estates put together.
We propose, therefore, that members should be returned
to look after the interests of railways. Each railway
should return two or four members, according to t:ie
length it runs, but branch lines should only return one
member. Each shareholder should have a vote. Thus
we should have the honourable member for the Grand
Junction moving for a return of the passengers on the
Eastern Counties Railway who arrived safe during the
last year ; and the Railway :King should be able to
answer the accusations of rival companies, who are al-
ways throwing stones on his favourite line, with a view,
we suppose, of making the engines trip up. What a
busy scene, too, an election on a railway would be ! We
can fancy the express trains that would be engaged all
day in conveying the voters of each candidate. The
excitement, too, as the state of the poll was declared at
each station, would be immense, whilst the scene of
chairing the member, on a special engine, the whole
length of the line, would be witnessed, in many cases,
by half a dozen counties. The great booth might be
erected at the terminus, and each voter should be called
upon to produce his scrip, so as to guard against the
palling of stags. The placards also would be very rich.
We should have "Vote for Snooks and a large dividend"
--" Fitajames, the Stoker's True Friend "—" Brown and
Early- Trains "—" Plump"rs for Packstone, the Pet of
the North Midlands." We think a railway parliament
will soon be added to St. Stephen's ; in fact, the acci-
dents and abuses are so numerous that they actually re-
quire some engine in the House of Commons to answer
for ;,hem.—l'unch.

ACCIDENT.—DIAT/1 FROM NOT DIVING LEARNED
TO SWI3I.—On Sunday morning, a young lad, acting
as call boy on board the Laurel Richmond steam-boat,
then off Arundel-stairs, while engaged on deck cleaning
the fore sponson, lost his balance and fell into the river.
He could not swim, but struggled violently. A gentle-
wan who was rowing past at the. time, threw off the
upper pert of his dress and plunged in. Though he dived
several times, he failed to reach him. Exertions to re-
cover the body, too, wero unavailing.