The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-19 00:00:00

GLASGOW AND GREENOCK.

The half•yearly meeting of the shareholders of this
railway was held on Friday last, the 15th inst., in the
Sheriff's Hall, Greenock, Mr. James Tasker, deputy-
chairman, in the chair. The meeting was an unusually
numerous one.

The secretary read the report of the directors, con-
taining the usual statement of accounts for the half-year
ending the 31st of July last, showing a net balance of
14,5731. 6s. 7d., at the credit of the revenue account.
After providing for preference shares, the directors re-
commended a dividend of ss. per share on the 251. shares
and 2s. Gd. per share on the 121. 10s. shares (21. per
annum), to be payable on the 29th current. After al-
luding to the dullness of trade, on account of which the
revenue had been lessened, the report of the directors
concluded as follows :

" The committee appointed at last meeting to watch
over the interests of this company any questions which
might arise with the Caledonian Railway Company,
agreed to a material change in the terms regulating the
amalgamation of the two companies, which has been
confirmed
The
eeshbay thereiw directors.
shareholders will
ll
remember that by the Act of
amalgamation it was declared optional to the Caledonian
Company, within five years, to put an end to the gua-
rantee of 4 per cent. on the ordinary
stock of this com-
pany, and to incorporate it with the stock of the Cale-
donian. That option the Caledonian Company
hare renounced the right to exercise, wherebyny
the guarantee of 4 per cent. has become abso-
lute, and in lieu of the right of the shareholders of this
company to participate in the profits of the amalgamated
companies, the shareholders of both companies are mu-
tually to participate in the profits to be derived from this
line exceeding 4 per cent."
Mr. TASKER, the deputy-chairman (in the absence of
Captain Houston Stewart, the chairman, who had been
called to Ireland on official business), moved the an.
provai of the report in a lengthened speech. He attri-
buted the falling off in the revenue to the dulness of the
times, especially in the conveyance of passengers. So
sGo however,roene,nnck
wna would
s btah e
made
the Clydesdale
depot
oJtu
of
Junction t
theio w n
greata s
mineral
products of the West of Scotland.
A long discussion followed as to the amalgamation
with the Caledonian Railway, and the period when the
guarantee offered by it of 4 per cent. would begin; in
reply to which it was stated by the chairman and secre-
tary, that so soon as the transference of their capital
and property to the Caledonian, under their deeds of
agreement, had been ratified, according to the Act of
Parliament, that then the amalgamation and guarantee
would commence. _ _ _ •

A very kindly feeling to and desire of co-operation
with the directors of the Caledonian was expressed by
the meeting. Another long discussion then followed as
to the construction of a great mineral depot in connexion
with the harbour, but the line for which had been op-
posed by the town council of Greenock and the feuars of
the locality.
A. committee of the shareholders was appointed to
confer with Sir Michael Shaw Stewart, the proprietor,
with the feuars, and with the town council, for the ob-
taining of this mineral line and depot, which was said to
be absolutely essential to the prosperity of Greenock as
a seaport. .

The report was agreed to.
In reply to a question from Mr. BLAIR,
The CUAIRMAN stated that when the line was trans
ferred to the Caledonian Railway Company he could not
say but Sabbath trains would be run. There was no
guarantee that Sabbath trains would not be run.
Adjourned.

SHROPSHIRE UNION AND CANAL.
The fourth half-yearly meeting of the company was
held on Thursday, at Shrewsbury; the Earl of Powis in
the chair.

The report stated that the works from Shrewsbury to
Stafford are progressing steadily, and the line will be
ready for opening next spring. The whole of the land
is in the possession of the company, and the purchases
which had been completed were effected generally on
fair terms. The Bill authorising the purchase of the
Shropshire Canal had been withdrawn, and an agree-
ment had been entered into which carries out for a li-
mited period the terms originally agreed upon, and there
was no doubt before the expiration of such term all dif-
ficulties with respect to the completion of the arrange-
ment will have been removed. The directors will not
undertake any new work without the previous sanction
of the proprietors. Arrangements are being made for
working the canal traffic, in conjunction with the rail-
ways of the district, in a profitable manner. The en-
gineer's report stated that the works are proceeding
satisfactorily ; that upwards of twenty-one miles out of
297 (the distance from Shrewsbury to Stafford), are
ready for the permanent road, a portion of which is
already completed. At present there were 3,300 men,
280 horses, and one locomotive employed on the works.
The whole line from Shrewsbury to Stafford will be
ready for opening early in the ensuing spring for pas-
sengers and merchandize. The capital account to the
30th of June showed that 603,0731. had been received,
and 381,491/. expended, and 5411. advanced to the canal
department, leaving a balance of 221,0411, in hand.

The number of passengers, according to the return
recently published, who have travelled by railway
(luring the half-year ending on the 30th of June last,
amounted to 26,330,492—which is just about the
population of England, Scotland, and Ireland—and
some idea maybe formed of the tide of human beings
who have passed over the country, as Mr. Locke says,
"by means of two parallel pieces of iron," when we
reflect that the official numbers actually represent the
transmission of every map, woman, and child, in the
United Kingdom, a certain distance, within the short
period of six months, at a speed previously unattain-
able, and with a reduction of danger, considering the
mass of human beings thus transferred, almost
infinitesimal. Archimedes is recorded to have
said, if he had standing ground he could
move the globe, and though our modern engi-
neers have not exactly attempted to work out
that problem, they have satisfactorily solved
another, which a few short years since would almost
have been thought as visionary. The number of
accidents figure as 189 ; 90 resulted in death, And 99
in injuries, more or less severe. Of passengers, six
unfortunately were killed and 60 hurt from no fault
of their own—a wonderfully small proportion when
we consider the enormous aggregate who now use
this mode of locomotion; the remainder of the
casualties is made up from accidents to railway ser-
vants, labourers on the lines in construction, and per-
sons who have taken this novel mode of committing
suicide, by precipitating themselves from trains or
into their way, but who, in fact, have as much to do
with the safety of railway travelling as a man blow
ing out his brains has to do with the safety of fire-
arms. Of the accidents to those regularly employed
by the companies, a large proportion seems to have
have arisen from the carelessness of the men them-
selves, and we have no data as to the per-tentage,
nor of the labourers ; but, w hen the nature of their
work is taken into account, we are surprised
that there have not been more deaths ; and we
have little doubt that many other employments would
give a much higher rate of mortality and mutilation
than railways, and it must also be recollected that
when finished a great cause of damage is at once cut
off, which just now, whilst so many are employed on
the lines in construction, must largely increase the
average. We make these remarks without any wish
for concealment of the number of accidents, and
merely to call public attention to the real state of a
question all are interested in ; we urge no relaxa-
tion of any precaution that can tend to preserve life
and limb, but when railways and their directors are
held up as a sort of public executioners, it becomes
our duty to place the matter in its true light, and we
boldly assert that the statement from which our
figures are taken is a wonderful evidence of the com-
parative safety with which one million of people shift
from town to town and from village to village every
week, or to bring the numbers to lower denomina-
tions, a host of 144,000 souls.is daily on the move.
—Railway Chronicle.

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possibly heal it, after every other remedy had failed,
Holloway's Ointment and Pills were resorted to, and by
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all druggists, and at Professor Holloway's Establish.
ment, 244, Strand, London.

.
THE LORD BISHOP OF MANCHESTER.—The Right
Rev. the Lord Bishop of Manchester arrived in this
city on Thursday night last 'by the express train from
London. His Lordship, who was unattended either by
his chaplain or secretary, immediately proceeded to the
Palatine Hotel, where he is at present staying. His
Lordship visited and inspected Sedgeley House (which
has been mentioned as a suitable residence for his Lord-
ship) yesterday morning, and, we are glad to learn, con-
cluded an agreement for a five years lease of the house,
which will consequently become the episcopal residence,
at all events for the present. To-day his Lordship will
go over to Preston, where he is to preach to-morrow, in
the parish church. His Lordship is expected to stay
some time in the neighbourhood, as he has appointed
several ordinations and confirmations to take place about
this time.—Manchester Guardian.
PAROCHIAL ACCOUNTS.—By an Act of Parliament
passed on 31st last month, if overseers of poor shall
lawfully, by virtue of their office, contract any debt on
account of the parish, within three months prior to the
termination of their year of office, and the same shall not
have been discharged by them before their year of office
shall have determined, such debt is to be payable by and
recoverable from their immediate successors, and charge-
able upon the poor-rate of the parish. And if such debt
shall have been contracted more than three months prior
to the termination of their year of office, the amount is to
be payable by and recoverable from their immediate
successors in office, if the rate•payers in vestry assembled,
and the poor-law commissioners, shall consent. Solicitors
having bills against parish officers need not now pre-
sent their accounts against the parish until the business
is completed, but if not presented within a year after
the termination of the business, the parochial funds are
not to be made liable to ft. This Act also contains
useful provisions as to balance in the hands of outgoing
overseers, &c.; and the powers of auditors are restricted
and defined.

" Thursday, 15.—Light airs from the N.W. ; four,
A.m., thermometer, 32, at noon, 35 30 ; temperature of
the sea at noon, 38 30 ; lat. 63 54 N. ; eight P .31., calm,
sounded bottom at 90 fathoms ; eleven P.m., thermome-
ter, 32 ; temperature of the sea, 35. Investigator in
company.
"Friday, 16.—Four P. 31., observed the land for the
first time since leaving sight of the Scotch coast ; from
eight to twelve noon, light airs and variable ; two P.m.,
breeze freshens from the north-west down the Strait, re-
mainder of the day turning to windward ; thermometer
at noon, 38 ; at eight P.M., 35 ; temperature of the sea,
37. Investigator in company.
" Saturday, 17.—Fresh breeze from the north-west,
turning to windward up Davis's Straits ; thermometer
during the day: highest 35, lowest 32; temperature of
the sea during the day varying from 32 37 to 35. In-
vestigator in company.
" Sunday, 18.—Fresh breeze from the N.W., turning
up Davis's Straits ; thermometer during the day vary-
ing from 32 to 38; temperature of the sea from 34 to
iB. Investigator in company.
" Monday, 19.—Light breeze from the southward,
running under all possible sail. Four, a.m., thermometer
31; at noon 34; temperature of the sea at noon 36;
latitude at noon 65 36. Investigator in company.
"Tuesday, 20.—Light breeze, running under all pos-
sible sail to the northward. Two, P.m., sighted the land;
sounded in 30 fathoms. Thermometer during the day
varying from 33 to 36; temperature of the sea at noon,
37. Investigator in company.
" Wednesday, 21.—Four, A.M., calm; sounded in 14
fathoms; from twelve noon, to four, P.M., light breeze;
passing through a number of icebergs all aground.
Twelve, noon, Whale Island, bearing N.E., distant 65
miles; thermometer, 37. Investigator in company.
" Thursday, 22.—Two, P.M., light breeze ; abreast of
Whale Island. Eight, A.M., calm; several natives i❑
their canoes came off to the ship. Twelve, noon, rather
mild ; thermometer standing at 45 ; temperature of the
sea, 41.

"Friday, 23.—Beautiful day; thermometer, 46. Ship's
company employed watering ship; armourers on shore
altering fore and main trusses.
" Saturday, 24.—Beautiful day; thermometer 85 in
the sun, rather surprising in lst. 69 N. Ship's company
variously employed in getting the ship ready for sea.
Temperature of the sea, 44 31.
" Sunday, 25.—Fine weather; thermometer 53; tem-
perature of the sea 48. Performed Divine service.
" Monday, 26.—Splendid weather for the Arctic re-
gions; thermometer, 54; temperature of the sea, 48.
Ship's company engaged in setting rigging, and spring-
ing ship, in order to test the compasses. Blacksmith em-
ployed on shore.
" Tuesday, 27.—Weather rather cloudy; thermometer,
42; temperature of the sea, 44. Ship's company em-
ployed about the rigging.
" Wednesday, 28.—Weather cloudy; thermometer,
43; temperature of the sea, 44 31. Scrubbed hammocks
and washed clothes.
Thursday, 29.—Weather clear and fine; thermometer,
43; temperature of the sea, 44."