The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-13 00:00:00

UNION CANAL COMPANY.

On Tuesday a general meeting of the shareholders
of this company was held in Mr. Paxton's hall, Royal
Exchange, for the purpose of considering and deciding
upon a proposal to amalgamate with the Edinburgh
and Glasgow Railway Company. Colonel 11`Donald,
of Powderhail, occupied the chair.
Mr. ELLIS read the heads of agreement between
the Union Canal Company and the Edinburgh and
Glasgow Railway Company. These were to the effect
that the two companies should be amalgamated, on the
principle that the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Company were to have the canal, and certain houses
and offices necessary to the working of it; the canal
company to retain all the other lands, property, feuing
ground, &c., which, estimated at 20,0001., would be
applied to the extinction of the debt. The railway
company, in return, undertake to give 1,058 of their
1001. shares to the holders of the unburdened shares
of the canal company, and 82 such shares to the
holders of burdened shares ; and such stock to be
issued to the shareholders of the canal company
within one month after the passing of the Act for
carrying this agreement into effect ; and which Act
both parties bind themselves to apply for in the next
session of Parliament. The rail way company are also
to assume a sum not exceeding 95,0001. of the debt of
the canal company.
Sir Josh GLADSTONE of Fasque, moved that they
should agree to the proposed arrangement, and remit
it to a committee of management with instructions
to carry it into effect.

A SIIAREITOLDER said, before agreeing to the
motion, he wished to have a little more information
on the subject. He should like particularly to know
if the Forth and Clyde Canal Company were decidedly
hostile to this company ?
The CHAIRMAN could not say that they were de-
cidedly hostile, but he had no cause to say that they
were friendly.
The same SHAREHOLDER said it appeared to him
that if the Forth and Clyde Canal Company were
not hostile, they might still be able as a company, to
compete with the Edinburgh and Glasgow Rail way
Company.
The CHAIRMAN said, if it was wished to ask him
whether or not any arrangement could be entered
into with the Forth and Clyde Canal Company, he
would at once say, decidedly not.
In answer to a series of questions,
The CHAIRMAN stated that, as soon as the Act was
obtained, the stock would be issued to the holders
of the burdened as well as the unburdened shares ;
the shareholders to receive a dividend according to
the amount of their stock; that this stock did not go to
pay the interest on debt; that the Edinburgh Railway
stock was valued, not at its present market price, but
at 100/. ; that for every three canal shares, valued at
331. Gs. BJ., the canal shareholders were to receive a
100/. railway share.

A SLIAREIIOLDER asked if there was any balance
or surplus of revenue divisible among the share-
holders?

The CHAIRMAN jocularly remarked that the less
they asked about that the better.—(A laugh.)
After some further discussion, the motion of Sir J,
Gladstone, approving of the arrangement, was ap-
proved of, Mr. MILLER stating that, as the judicial
factor for the heirs of some of the shareholders, he
could not agree to it until he had consulted the bene-
ficiaries.
The meeting then adjourned.—Witness.

ROCHESTER MUNICIPAL REVISION COURT.—We
yesterday witnessed at this court scenes which we had
,bel:eved could not possibly have taken place in England.
fo describe the disorder which prevailed throughout the
proceedings is almost impossible ; people would never
credit that spectators in a court of justice could possibly
be permitted, at this time, to indulge in all the boister-
ous ebullitions of the bear garden ; cheers, clapping of
hands, stamping of feet, and frantic shouts of laughter,
hailed every unusually intemperate expression of the
Tory agent, whilst the Liberal agent and witnesses were
subject to the most indecorous interruptions. Hooting,
hissing, yelling, and threats of personal violence, were
aimed at Page, the Liberal objector, and at some mo-
ments the Guildhall more resembled the arena of a priz
fight than a calm, orderly, English court of justice.
The members of the court seemed utterly helpless,
and unequal to the slightest effort to preserve order
or decorum. They would doubtless have been laughed
to scorn by their own party if they had attempted it. A
more disgraceful course of proceedings than those of
yesterday it has never been our lot to see ; and, for the
sake of public morality, and public confidence in the j▪
us-
tice seat, we hope it may never be witnessed again; yet,
as the court are to sit day by day, we fear that there is
too great a probability of its daily repetition.—Mai▪ dstone
Gazette.
LIGIITING BY ELECTRICITY. Last evening Mr.
Pepper delivered a lecture on the "Physical Properties•
of Light," at the Western Literary and Scientific Insti-
tution, Leicester square. After going. through. a great
number of interesting experiments illustrative of the
various modes of producing light by chemical combi▪
na-
tion, he proceeded to introduce the apparatus recently
invented and patented by Messrs. Stait and Petri▪
e, for
lighting by means of electricity. The lecturer stated
that electricity, as was obviously proved in the case of
lightning, was a natural element
for .the production of
light; the great difficulty consisted in producing the
necessary supply of combustible matter upon which it
should act to produce the lumi▪
nous result. In the ma-
chine invented by Messrs. Stit and Petrie a certain and
constant supply of charcoal was presented to the action
of electric fluid, and the consequence was a continuous
and brilliant light. The machine, apparently a very
simple one, was then setinoperation, and although the
flame was enclosed within a framework of paper, the
effect was so dazzling as almost to be unbearable to the
naked eye. Tho gas-lights with which the theatre was
lighted were virtually extingui▪
shed, the only evidence le!
their existence bang a red spot (the effect of the uncoil-
stun. d carbon), the light produced Ly the electric lighting
machine being of the purest white colour. The lecture was
listened to with great attention by a crowd, d au:litory,
who appeared to be greatly struck by the " new light"
thrown upon their optical faculties.
DEATH FROM TOBACCO.—An inquisition was
holden at Coleford, on the body of John Evans. The
surgeon stated he found slight traces of inflammation in
the stomach, and a very strong odour of tobacco. It
appears that the deceased smoked a great quantity—
nearly half a pound per week, besides chewing
A verdict was returned of " Died by the visitati:en
God, accelerated by the excessive uie of tobaceo."—Dor-
seishire Herald.