The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-09 00:00:00

[PRItEe 5

okfilit, had not yet been attalned,-the directors had the
great satisfaction to inform the meeting that the Conway
Tube, to which the delay was referable, was, on the 6th
inst., safely floated between the piers, upon which it has
to be raised, and all that now remained to be
done was of an ordinary mechanical character ;
and they were fully assured by the engineer
that within a month, at the utmost, from this
time, the tube would be completely fixed in its place,
and the trains enabled to pass through it. The directors
had to furnish the meeting with the gratifying intelli-
gence, that the bridge had already been subjected to a
test, greatly exceeding any that it could ever be put to
in its ordinary use. The tube, after having been sus-
pended upon temporary piers 400 feet apart, which was
the full span of the bridge, was loaded with a weight of

300 tons, %hen the result was in every way most satis-
factory, and realised most fully the expectations that
had been formed of it by its designer. With the load
of three hundred tons, the deflection was only three
inches, or an inch to each one hundred tons; and from

that deflection it completely recovered itself upon the
weight being removed, after haying remained therein
for three entire days. The requisite arrangements for
the opening of the line had recently been occupying the
constant attention of the directors; they were now

completed, and aided by the co-operation of the
London and North-Western Company, they trusted
that they had succeeded in providing an efficient
staff; and while they proposed to establish such rates
of fares and accommodation to the public as would
give full encouragement to the development of the
traffic, they had kept in view a due regard to
economy in the management. By the' Ist of May the
line through Anglesea might also be made ready for
traffic, so as to furnish railway communication for the

entire distance to Holyhead, with the exception of the

passage across the Menai Straits; and they had so ap-
prised the Postmaster-General, and expressed their
willingness to undertake that this extension of railway
accommodation should be completed by that time,
provided the company were allowed an adequate remu-
neration for so doing ; and they had further offered
to undertake the whole of the mail service between
Chester and Holyhead, by covering the gap in the line
with proper horse conveyances, pending the junction
between the two sides of the Straits, provided the con-
tract entered into by the Treasury with the company be
at once acted upon. At_ present they were
_without a

definite reply to either of ihose propoiitions, the commu-
nications received only extending to a signification of
the intention to put on the mails to Bangor, when the
line should be opened so far. In the event of neither of
those offers being entertained they considered that
it would not be expedient to accelerate the
opening through Anglesea, until the whole lino from
Chester to Holyhead could be made continuous, by the
completion of.the line across the Straits, or at least until
the most efficient steam-boat accommodation could be
afforded. It was comparatively of little importance to
the company whether the contract with the Treasury
should commence at once, or be deferred for a short
time, as its continuance was for a fixed term of
years, and therefore the earlier its commence-
ment the earlier would be its termination. Tho
extension of the line at Holyhead to the intended
New Refuge Harbour, it is considered unnecessary to
proceed with at present, or until the wurks of the new
harbour have made further progress. With respect to the
progress that had been made by her Majesty's Govern-
ment with the works of the old and new harbour at
Holyhead, it had been intimated to the directors
that the temporary accommodation making in the old
harbour was sufficiently advanced to enable the
Government new packets to use it—that nearly
all the land required for the new harbour
had been acquired—that a contract for a portion of the
works has been entered into, and that the railways for
conveying the stone from the quarries to the Great
Breakwaters and Packet Pier were in course of execu-
tion. In accordance with the resolution come to by the
shareholders at their last half .yearly meeting, applica-
tion had again been made to Parliament for the necessary
powers to connect the steam-boat proprietorship with
that of the railway, so far as is necessary to
complete the communication between Holyhead and
Dublin. The shareholders would recollect the
peculiar circumstance under which the Bill was
withdrawn last session, after the unanimous
report of the Committee on the Bill, " That in tho pre-
sent case it is essential for the interests of the public
that the powers sought should be conferred." The
evidence laid before the Committee referred to, and upon
which that resolution was founded, had since been pub-
lished for the information of the Members of the House
of Commons, and your directors felt the greatest con•
fidence that their renewed application would be suc-
cesful. With that protection and security to the
public and the company, they have the most entire
confidence in the traffic of the line realising the
fullest expectation that has been formed of it. Two
months having elapsed from the date to which the
auditors examined the half-yearly accounts, the directors
have had a supplementary sheet prepared, in order to
lay before the meeting the state of the receipts and
expenditure to the ead of last month. It would be seen
by those accounts, that the expenditure during the
six months ended 31st of December, was 635,065/,
being at the rate of 105,844/. per month, and for
the eight months to the 29th of February, 806,8621,
being at the rate of 100,8581. per month.
The confirmation of the shareholders was required to a
declaration made by the directors, of the forfeiture of
certain shares (61 in number), upon which the calls re-
main unpaid, consequent upon the holders of the scrip
having neither appeared at the time of completing the
registration in 1844, nor since that period. The direc-
tors further requested authority to sell or dispose of the
shares in such manner as they might deem advisable.
The time and attention of the engineer, Mr. Robert
Stephenson, had been so unremittingly devoted to the
floating and raising of the Conway tube, as to prevent
him furnishing his usual report.
From the general statement of the accounts from the
formation of the company to the 29th of February last,
it appeared that the receipts amount to 2,790,0674 17s.
10d., and the expenditure to 2,751,7921. 13s. 6d., leaving
a balance at the bankers and on loan of 38,2754 4s. 4d.

The CHAIRMAN, in answer to a series of questions
put by a shareholder, said he did not think that the
expenses for direction and auditors, which amounted to
6,3001., were greater than the expenses incurred under
this head in other railway companies ; that so far as
the, directors had been able to judge, they considered
that the capital of the company wculd be adequate
to meet the contemplated outlay ; that they could not pledge
themselves as to the precise period at which the works
would be completed, but would use every exertion to
expedite them with all possible dispatch. He also stated
that the shares were not more depreciated in value in
the market then the shares of similar undertakings,
and that the calls were remarkably well paid up consi-
dering the peculiarly of the times. When the Conway
tube was finished, the line would be completed to Bangor,
and the directors expected that it would be opened so far
in about a month. The stations were all ready,
and they could be made tenantable and fit for use in
a week's time.
A SHAREHOLDER wished to know what the arrange-
ment was that had been made with the London and
North-Western Company, as it had been stated that it
would be prejudicial to the interests of the proprietors
of this company?
The CHAIRMAN said, on the contrary, it had been
stated that the arrangement was not exactly a fair one
to the London and North-Western Company, who were
to work the line, certain fixed charges having been
agreed upon with respect to passengers, goods, and the
number of carriages used. The arrangement was for five
years, and was terminable, on a notice on either side,
after three years.
The report was then received and adopted.
A resolution was then passed, authorising the direc-
tors to dispose of the forfeited shares in such manner as
they might consider advisable.
Billan d
now
istlpiecthiael,
d i chteo rms ewe nr
were i nws at
rs u catfet
before Parliament, to enable the company to raise an
dertwoarpdrsoemeeaddew
additional capital of 250,0001. for the purchase of steam-
boats, &c.
A vote of thanks was then passed to the Chairman
and directors, and the meeting separated.

ROYAL LITERARY FUND.—Yesterday the annual
general meeting of the members of this institution was
held at the offices, in Great Russell-street ; Sir Henry
Ellis occupied the chair. After some remarks from the
chairman, Mr. Blewitt, the secretary, read the report,
which stated that the sum of 1,2301. had been distri-
buted in grants during the past year, making a total of
35,0601. granted for the relief of distressed authors,
their widows, and children, from the formation of the
society, in 1790. The 'funds were in a satisfactory state.
'rho report having been agreed to, the Marquis of Lans-
downe was unanimously re-elected President, and the
Archbishop of Dublin, the Earls of Arundel and Surrey,
Ripon, and Ellesmere were chosen as Vice-Presidents,
as were Lords John Russell, Brougham, and Stanley, Sir
Robert Peel, Sir Robert Inglis, and other noblemen and
gentlemen. The committee and Council were also re-
elected, and various alterations in the bye-laws were
adopted, subject to approval at a future general meeting.
It was announced that his Grace the Duke of Northum-
berland had kindly consented to preside at the annual
banquet in aid of the funds, which will take place in a
short time.
MURDER.—Shortly after dusk, on Friday evening,
it was reported at the police-station, Anglesea, bridge,
that a woman was lying in a state of intoxication at the
adjacent place known as the Monorea Marsh. On the
police poceeding to the spot indicated, it was found the
woman was not intoxicated, but dead, and covered with
blood, flowing from a wound in her neck. It was the
form of a deep str.b; and the woman appeared to have
been tolatizlitfred in the Fame manner as a sheep. She
was immediately removed to the south Infirmary, but
life,had been already quite extinct. On the following
day a pocket was discovered at the place, which seemed
to have been cut from her gown, and also a knife, appa-
rently of foreign manufacture. As yet no information
has been obtained of the num° of the victim, or the cause
of the murder, and but slight clue to the discovery
of the murderer. About the time the murder was
believed to be committed, a woman of her description
was seen passing along Warren's-place with a man, both
in a Auto of intoxication. The unfortunate woman
appeared to be about twenty-eight years of age, and was
rather well looking.— Banner of Ulster.
General Bell had an interview yesterday with
Secretary Sir George Grey.