The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-23 00:00:00

WEST CORNWALL R&ILWAY.

The first ordinary general meeting of the propri( tors
of the West Cornwall Railway was held yesterday after-
noon, at the Offices of the Company, in Broad-street-
buildings; Mr. Louis Vigurs, chairman of the board of
directors, in the chair.
The meeting was made special for the purpose of
authorising the directors to apply to Parliament for
powers to-make a branch to St. Ives.
Ths CHAIRMAN stated that originally it was intended
only to extend the Hayle Railway at either end, but
Parliament refused to grant powers for that purpose, and
the present company was organised by the parties who
promoted that scheme. The line Parliament had granted
to them was opposed by the Central Devon and
Cornieitil Railway Company, which would have com-
peted with them to a certain extent. That scheme
failed to pass the Standing Orders' Committee, but still
the promoters opposed them through eveirstage. The
opposition proved nugatory, and the project had been
handed over to the South-Western Company, who pro-
posed to revive it again next session abandoning that
part which would have competed with them, and they
therefore did not intend to oppose it. Sufficient time had
not yet elapsed to admit of the accounts being made up,
but at the next half-yearly meeting a full statement of re-
ceipts and disbursements would be laid before the share-
holders. He did not anticipate that such statement
would show any extensive balance of the deposits in
hand, bat it was gratifying to know that they had ob
mined a line for all their trouble and expense which
yielded them a return of 10 per cent. upon the outlay.
The first contract would be ready to be let in abaut
month, when a call would be made.
The report recommended the formation of the branch
to St. Ives, and the improvement of the port of Ilayle,
and stated that interest at the rate of 41. per cent. would
be paid in calls, and 51. upon calls paid in anticipation.
The CHAIRMAN stated that the total amount of de-
posits was 32,7001., of which 28,0001. had already been
paid away. Their liabilities would swallow up the
balance. Four thousand shares had been allotted to the
Hayle Railway Company, upon which nothing had been
paid, and there remained 5,000 shares still to be allotted.
No official overtures had yet been made either for leasing
or purchasing the line by any company.
The report was then adapted, and the routine of busi-
ness of a first ordinary meeting gone through. The
remuneration of the directors was fixed at 1,0001. a year;
that of the auditors at 21/ ; and the secretary's salary
was fixed at 400/. per annum.
The special resolutions referred to in the ref crt wero
then put from the chair and carried unanimously.
Powers were taken to oppose the South-Western
Company should there be any necessity for it.
In answer to a question,
The CHAIRMAN stated that the 4,000 shares were
handed over to the llayle Railway as a consideration
for the sale of their line. The line was delivered up to this
company on the 13th of November last, and the II t) le
proprietary would be entitled to interest from that date.
Thanks were then voted to the chairman, and the
meeting broke up.

BOSTON, STAnFoRD, AND BIR•
MINGHAM (STAMFORD TO WISBEACH)

RAILWAY.

The first general meeting of the proprietors of this
company, under their Act of incorporation, was held yes..
terday at their offices, 18, Abingdon-street; Thomas Ma-
caulay, Esq., in the chair.
The usual formalities having been gone through, the
Secretary (Mr. Sesiard) read the report. It stated that
the scheme originally proposed waL 90 miles in length,
extending from Leicester to Wisbeach, with a capital of
one million in 50,000 shares. The scheme had no sooner
made its appearance than three existing companies en-
tered the arena, to occupy the district with railway com-
munication—namely, the London and Birmingham, the
Midland Counties, and the Syston and Peterborough.
This state of things, holding out ruinous and expert
sive contest, combined with the state of the money
market last year, determined the directors to give
up the opposed portion, and restrict their
operations to that which was unopposed. The
directors only sought the present line from Stam.
ford to Wisbeach, 22 miles in length, which they had
obtained. This reduced the capital to 225,0001., or
12,600 shares of 201. each. It was proposed to condense
three of the old shares into one of the new, which would
make W. 6s. paid on each. The next call proposed
would be 1/. 145., which would make 54 in all
paid up on each of the new shares. The
directors had great pleasure in stating that an offer
had been made by the Great Northern Company (late
London and York) to unite with the present one. The
terms proposed were—the present company to make the
line (which the directors stated could easily be done for
225,0001.). the Great . Northern guaranteeing on that
amount of capital six per cent., commencing in July,
1848, whether the line was completed by that time or
not. From the time that the agreement was ratified up
till that time the shareholders of the present company
were to receive five per cent. on their paid up calls. It
was further observed, that the Great Northern might at
any time purchase the Stamford and Wisbeach line at 50
per cent. premium on the capital of 225,0001., and the
shareholders of the latter -scheme would have the op-
tion, after the opening of the Great Northern line, to
exchange their shares at par for shares in the larger
company. The expenses arising from the enormous
prices of last year had been very heavy, but this had
arisen in a great measure from going to Parliament
for the large scheme, the preliminary expenses for that
being very great. The whole expenditure was
34,0681. Bs. Id., leaving a balance in hand of 6,418/
ss. 3d. Notices to Parliament had been given for three
extension branches.

The CHAIRMAN then addressed the meeting at some
length, congratulating the shareholders on their im-
proved position. When they met last May, pursuant to
the sessional order, the shares were at a discount, but
now they were, he was glad to say, at a premium. The
most important feature in the report was the proposal of
the Great Northern Company, which the directors ad-
vised the adoption of, as presentink most favourable
terms. They would not, however, be called on to dc-
cide the question at once, as another meeting would
have to be called in the latter end of January, or the
beginning of February, at which the terms would be
formally submitted. He proposed that the report be
received, adopted, printed, and circulated among the
proprietors.
In answer to several questions,
The CHAIRMAN said that the capital would more than
make the line, though, should it not be sufficient, the
Great Northern would have to complete it ; that the 6
per cent. would be guaranteed on the 225,0001., what-
ever the line might [cost; that the expenses, thougb
apparently large in relation to the length of the line,
were as small as any other scheme of last year. It was
not expected the calls would come very heavy.
The motion was unanimously agreed to.
Oa the motion of Mr. BADGER, secondesl by Mr.
WATKINS, a resolution was next carried in approval of
the terms offered by the Great Northern Company.
Resolutions were likewise unanimously carried, ap-
pointing twelve directors, eight being members of the
Great Northern board, and four belonging to that of
the present company, with 1,0001. for their expenses
during the current year ; also, appointing Mr. Pearson
managing director, and Mr. Seward, secretary, at 1501.
per annum.

- The meeting, having passed with acclamation a vote
of thanks to the chairman and board of directors, then
broke up.

A Soil

nose ank is being :fully determined not to be
" punched " down, even by that inimitable merry an-
drew, or " merry angry," Mr. Pur ch, beg to inform the
public that they intend killing an enormous bear on
Monday, the 21st inst., and exhibiting it on that and the
three following days, at their establishment, when any
one preferring it can have the fat cut direct from the
animal, thus ensuring its, genuineness. For preserving
and strengthening the hair there is nothing equal to the
genuine bear's grease— Vide " Mr. Catlin's account of
the quantity used, and the length and thickness of hair
obtained by the North American Indians. Address,
Ross and. Sons, 119 and 120, Bishopsgate-street, London.

presented
Before quitting Paris the 13ey o Tunis
M. Guizot with a pair of Turkish slippers, enriched with
diamonds, for himself, and some splendid bracelets for
his daughters. Report says, but this is probably an
exaggeration, that these presents are worth 400,000 fr.
M. Genie, the Chef du Cabinet of the Foreign-office,
received the order of Nichan, set in diamonds, and esti-
mated at 23,000 fr. The Bey also called on Count Mole,
and presented him with a rich decoration, the Count
having been Minister of Foreign Affairs when the com-
mercial convention between France and Tunis was con-
cluded. Lieut.-Colonel Walsin Esterhazy, Director of
Arab Affairs in Algeria, has received from the Bey the
order of Nichan, in token of the satisfaction that be has
derived from the Colonel's work on the domination of
the Turks in Algeria.
EXTRAORDINARY SUPPLY OF POULTRY —ID Lea-
denhall and Newgate markets yesterday morning there
was such a bountiful supply of poultry of all descrip
tions, that fine geese of 111 b. weight were being sold as
low as ss. and ss. 6d. each. One salesman had about a
ton weight of geese consigned to him. Turkeys were
sold at 6i. and 7s. each ; fowls at 3s. and 44. a couple.
Game of every description was equally cheap ; tine
pheasants might be had for 4s. the brace. The markets
bought to
were crowded, and sever il hundreds of geese were
-pply the vario.ts
" goose clubs" held iu the
metropolis.