The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-21 00:00:00

several of those who had been concerned in using the Com-
pany's money to buy shares, expressing their regret for what
they had done, and their willingness to make amends. A
long and stormy discussion here ensued, in which
personalities were freely bandied about. The principal point
elicited by it was from Mr. Garbett, that of the 21,3211.,
18,0001. had been expended at three different times to buy
shares at a premium in sums of .1,0001., 11,0001., and 3,0001.
The expenditure was made under the impression that the market
would improve, and that the money would be of advantage to
the Company.
In the course of the discussion great complaint was also
made of the other items of the expenditure, and especially to the
bill of Messrs. Yarborough and Adam, the solicitors to the
Company ; but to that Mr. Yarborough replied that he was
willing his.bill should be taxed, or if a committee was appointed,
to submit all his charges to it, or to any respectable railway so-
licitor.

Ultimately, after Mr. FYLER, the party who has filed the
bill in Chancery, had explained that he did so on his own
responsibility to protect the shareholders, and that he
was willing to act with any respectable committee to
bring matters to a settlement, on the motion of
Mr. Alderman COPELAND, M.P., a resolution was agreed to
that a committee of five be appointed to make a full investiga-
tion into all the affairs of the Company from the beginning, and
report the result to a future meeting.
This done, the names of the committee were agreed to, and
the meeting, one of the stormiest of the kind we ever attended,
broke up about half-past four o'clock.

MADRAS RAILWAY.

The general meeting of this Company washeld on Thursday,
at twelve o'clock, at the offices, No. 2, Wincheste
Old Broad-street ; Mr. J. Arbuthnot in the chair.
After the advertisement calling the meeting had been re-
cited, a report was read, of which the following is an ab-
stract ;
The Court of Directors of the East India Company recog-
nise, in the fullest manner, the importance of the introduction
into India of railway communication, but state that the
construction and management of railways in India should be
entrusted to private enterprise and capital ; and they direct
the Supreme Government of India to report to them the re-
sults of the investigation of the committee of engineers, ac-
companied by the opinions of the Supreme Government upon
the subject. As soon as this was ascertained several gentle-
men ,who were acquainted with the great progress which the
very complete and accurate information which had been ob-
tained by Capt. Worst er's survey of the line from Madras, to
Wallajahnuggur, took steps for the construction of the line
from Madras to Wallajahnuggur and Arcot, with ultimate
extension to all parts of the Madras territories, that might
be warranted by the success of the first line. It was re-
iiolved to limit the capital to be raised, at first, to the esti-
mated amount required for this object alone, which wa►
500,0001., divided into 25,000 shares of 201. each ; on which
the deposit, as fixed by the Joint-stock Act, was 2s. each.
The number of shares reserved for Madras was 5,000.
The number which each member of the provisional
committee was limited to was one hundred. The
, number of shares applied for by the public was
70,000 ; and the number actually allotted to the applicants
,in this country was 19,635. Of these the deposits have
been paid upon 16,885, and of the 2,750 shares which
have lapsed from non-payment, 1,050 have been re-
allotted to fresh applicants. There remain at pre-
sent 2,065 shares at the disposal of the Com-
pany, exclusive of the number reserved for Madras.
The line runs nearly due west from Madras to Arcot, a dis-
tance of sixty-five miles. The average rise is 1 in 645, and
the steepest gradient, 1 in 180; no cuttings of any con -
sequence, and no tunnelling whatever. The soil is most
favourable, and in no part subject to inundation of any con-
sequence. In 1837 the annual traffic of goods between the
termini was estimated at 30,000 tons ; but the present amount
of imports alone into Madras by land is estimated at 300 tons
a day, or more than three timts the amount of imports
and exports, nine years ago. The number of passengers be-
tween the termini has recently been estimated at 150,000
annually. With rails of 701bs. to the yard, a roadway
capable of receiving a double line of rails, but to have only
one at first, with sidings at intervals, the cost of a
railway between Madras and Arcot would certainly be under
5,0001. a mile, and it is fully expected, that within a year
after the line is opened there will be a profitable return.
The Directors now only await the decision of the Court of
Directors of the East India Company, to commence their
operations. The amount paid as deposits on shares, to this
time, amounts to 1,6881. 10s. Of this 1,500/. has been ex-
pended or is due fee preliminary operations, including the law
expenses, the deed of settlement and complete registration.
A provisional committee has been formed at Madras, con-
sisting of thirteen gentlemen of the highest rank in the coin-
pany's service; of members of the principal houses of busi-
ness at Madras; and of the legal profession. A deputation
from the committee had waited on the Marquis of Tweeddale,
Governor of Madras, with the view of obtaining the
support of the local Government in carrying out
the objects of the company, and had met with
a most encouraging reception. The directors have
also addressed the Supreme Government and the Govern-
ment of Madras, bnt have not yet received replies to their
communications, but hope to do so at an early period, and
will lose no time in making the shareholders acquainted
with the result of these applications, as well as of the decision
of the Court of Directors, when it shall have been obtained.
In moving the adoption of the report, the CHAIRMAN
stated that, according to the regulations of the East India
Company, it was necessary for the Company's official engi-
neers to survey the line, but as that would be both a dila-
tory and expensive operation, the directors had been making
interest to obtain the adoption of the surveys of the engineer
of the Madras Railway by the Committee of Engineers in
Bengal, and the directors were daily waiting for the result of
their application.
Mr. CHRISTIAN said that before the report was adopted, he
wished to know what course the directors intended to pursue
with respect to the shares which had been allotted, but not
paid up on. He had himself purchased 75 shares at 255. pre-
mium, but the party of whom he had bought them refuted
to sign any deed or paper which would make the purchaser
entitled to the certificates, without a bonus of 51. This he
(Mr. Christian) refused to give, believing the claim to be
nothing more or less than a dishonest extortion. - He now
wished to know whether the directors would take the
bankers' receipts in exchange for certificates, from those par-
ties who were not original shareholders.
After some conversation, the CHAIRMAN replied that every
facility would be given by the directors for the certificate of
the property of the Company to those who were entitled to
it, and the matter dropped with that assurance.
On the proposition of the CHAIRMAN, J. A. Arbuthnot, Esq.,
Lieutenant-Colonel Abdy, N. B. Ackworth, Esq., and W. S.
Binney, Esq., who should retire in rotation, were re-elected
as directors.
Some objection was offered by Mr. Luensta. to the re-
election of these gentlemen, on the ground that they were
not practically acquainted with the working of railway com
panics, and had been parties to an unnecessary expense in
the complete registration of the Company, which was not re-
quired for the transfer of the scrip.
The CHAIRMAN explained that the directors had consi-
dered themselves liable to the provision of Bth and 9th Vic ,
the Joint-Stock Companies' Act, and their proceedings,
therefore, would. not have been legal without complete re-
gistration.
Several shareholders expressed their perfect conviction of
the eligibility of the gentlemen for the office they sought,
on the ground that the business of the Company had been
well managed; that Mr. Arbuthnot and Mr. Binney were at
the head of large Indian commercial firms, that M r. Ackworth
and Colonel Abdy had both had great experience of Indian
affairs—the former as a member of the bar of high standing,
and the latter as a military man, who knew the country well.
After those observations, the candidates were unanimously
elected.
Captain Ommaney and Mr. Gowan were re-elected
auditors. By the statement of accounts distributed at the
meeting it appeared that the amount received for deposits
was 1,675/. 10s., and the expenses 234/. 15a. 2d., leaving a
balance of 1,440/. 14s. 10d. to be carried to the next account.
Thanks were voted to the Chairman and Directors, and
the meeting separated.

LITERATURE.
THE YEAR BOOK OF FACTS. 1846.
In an age so remarkable and prolific in discoveries
and invention, there existed a necessity for some annual
digest of those discoveries and those inventions which
bad passed successfully through the ordeal of the closest
examination. This little volume is the very precise
thing requisite; and its editor, tutored in the rather
difficult office he had to fill by some years' experience,
has compiled the " Book of Facts" for 1846 with more
than usual sagacity. Formerly the curious among
readers were feasted with the idle marvels of black
magic, and chiromancy, and diablerie, and astrology
and demonology, and the like superstitious phantagies
now, however, they are tre•-tted in a manner singularly
different. Prodigius in natural philo ophy and the in-
scrutable mysteries of science are unf )lded to them in a
guise the most startling, and yet the most seductive ;
and in this way the wcndel s of mere fact are infinitely
more astonishing than the vagaries of fancy. Philosophy
has thus vanquished witchcraft; science has outwondered
supers.ition; and, without any arrogant boasting, we nay
:ndeed regard the deeds accomplished in our own gen2ret-
don as a great and almost incontrovertible argument in
favour of the ultimate perfectability of mankind:—this
of ceurse always premising, tha there be no vast and un-
foreseen recoil, either moral or natural. A portrait of
Sir John F. W. Ilerschell is the frontispiece, and a
sketch of Mount Ifecla forms an appropriate vignette—
that gigantic volcano having been in a state of eruption
during September and October last. There is not one
single page in the "Year Book of Facts" but what con-
veys some kind of useful or singular information to the
mind; in addition to which the st:‘le in which it is em-
bodied is at once popular and concise. Per se the volume
is of much value; in connexion with the more vo-
luminous works of a scientific character, published
during the past twelve months, the present will prove
must admirable as a text-book.

ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY.—PROFESSOR KANE.—At a
meeting of the fine arts section of the Royal Dublin Society,
held on Monday evening, the Lord Lieutenant conferred the
dignity of knighthood upon Professor Kane, who is now S:r
Robert Kane.—Pilot.

ACCIDENT AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM,—On Thursday
au accident which might have been attended with great loss of lice
occurred at the British Museum. A large stone, weighing nearly
eight tone, which was to form part of the architrave that supper s
the cornice in the front of the left wing, had been just drawn up by
the crane, and the men were steadying it into its proper position
when the chain broke, several of the links flying away into Great-
Russell street, and the enormous mass crushing the hand of a nuts
named Keller to atoms, fell through the scaffolding to the ground,
snapping in two an immense beam of timber as if it had been a lath,
and dashing to pieces part of the stone substructure between two
of the columns. Three men, who must otherwise inevitably have
perished, saved themselves whet the scaffolding was tumbling to
pieces by springing up and catching hold of other parts of the archi-
trave, to which they clung so long—hanging by their fingers before
they could obtain any footing to raise themselves upon it—as to
cause the most painful anxiety to those below, who expected nothing
less than their instant destruction. Only a few seconds before the
ponderous Mock fell several men were working immediately benewh
it, and so great was the fear that an awful sacrifice of life had been
the consequence that those who ran to the spot hesitated at first
from apprehension of beholding some dreadful catastroilio.
THIII NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.—TI. 4 fifth re
port of the Commissioners on the Fine Arts was on Thursday issued
from the Oaks of the printers of the Parliamentary papers. It ap-
pears from the report that six arched compartments in the House of
Loris are to be decorated with fresco paintings : that one of the
fresco paintings should be completed before others are commenced,
by which means an opportunity would be afforded of judging of the
finished work. The competition in oil painting has been postponed
till June, 1847. In the appendix is a report from the Committee
(consisting of Lord Mahon, Mr. Hallam, Mr. Hawes, jun., Mr. Ma-
caulay, Sir R. H. Inglis, Mr. Rogers. and Mr. Wyse) to inquire on
subjects for stained glass windows in the House of Lords. The re-
presentation in painted glass is to be made in the case of sovereigns
whose faces, figures, or attributes, are fain liar to the observer front
their coins, seals, or other records of their personal appearance.
The second report in the appen(Lx is from Mr. Eastlake, toe secre-
tary, on the styles and methods of painting suited to the decoration
of public buildings. There are seine letters in the appendix on
general matters relating to the fine arts.
Sir Thomas Aclantl, in a letter to J. H. Furse, Esq.,
Chairman of the North Devon Agricultural Protection Society, de-
clined to pledge himself, previous to the discussion, as to the vote
which he might give on Sir Robert Peel's resolutions.—Western Lu-
minary.