The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-08 00:00:00

PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL

STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.
(THIS DAY.)
The Annual General Meeting of this Company was
advertised to be held this morning at the Company's
Offices in St. Mary Axe. Our reporter attended, but
was refused admittance, on the ground that the Board
had not been petitioned to allow him to be present.

OPENING OF THE It'SWICH AND

BURY ST. EDMUNDS' RAILWAY.

(FROM OUR OWN REPORTER.)
This line was privately opened yesterday, and in a
week trains will run for the conveyance of passengers-.
A special train, consisting of three carriages, two of
which were elegant smoking saloons, was kindly placed
at the service of the new line by the directors of the
Eastern Counties, and left the Shoreditch station shortly
before ten o'clock. It contained, amongst other gentle-
men, Mr. Waddington, the Deputy Chairman of the
Eastern Counties, and Mr. Roney, the Secretary.
Another train left Colchester at eleven o'clock, contain-
ing a number of ladies and gentlemen. On reaching
Ipswich, after a pleasant and rapid journey, an
amalgamation of trains took place, at about a
quarter to one o'clock, a train of imposing length,
drawn by two engines, and tastefully decorated with
flags and evergreens, started for Bury St. Edmunds. A n
immense number had been invited. The line, which
almost commences with a tunnel of a quarter of a mile
in length, and of a rather sharp curve, proceeds in a
north-easterly direction, and along the valley of the
Gippint, to Haughley, in the vicinity of which the line
to Norwich, and for which Parliamentary powers have
been obtained, will branch, and from thence, in a north-
westerly direction across what is called the Table Land,
to its destination. The line, the Act for which was
obtained in 1844, is 26 miles in length; it was com-
menced in September, 1845, so that its construction has
occupied little more than twelve months, an incredibly
short time, for the works in many portions of
the line must have been extremely heavy, the
soil moved being about 500,000 cubic yards
per mile. The steepest gradient, which is at
Norton Ward is 1 in 132. The country traversed is
agricultural. There are seven leading stations exclusive
of the termini, namely, Bramsford, Blakenham, Need-
ham-market, Stowmarket, Haughley, Delmowell, and
Thurston. Nothing could be more gratifying tkan the
way in which the train, and those it contained, were re-
ceived at the various stations. Notwithstanding the un-
favourable state of the weather, the inhabitants, the
young and the old, and, in fact, the " halt and the lame,"
presented themselves in formidable array, and cheered
the pageant lustily. At every station triumphal arches
of evergreens were erected across the line, and
flags and banners, displaying glittering and compli-
mentary allusions, were exhibited almost to profusion. On
reaching Bury St. Edmunds a most imposing sight met
the view. Not only the town, but the surrounding dis-
tricts seemed to have poured forth the whole of their
inhabitants, for every available space within sight of the
station, which stands on an eminence, was thronged with
dense masses of humanity.
The directors and the officers of the company were
there met by the Mayor and the corporation of Bury,
who headed a procession into the town, preceded by a
band of music, which had enlivened the journey from
Ipswich, and a number of flags.
The works reflect great credit on the engineer,
Mr. Peter Bruff, and the contractors Messrs. Brassy and
Mackenzie. They cost about 16,0001. a mile. The sta-
tions are in an unfinished state, but the line is in a per-
fect m orking order.
s l
em were pu n
of e
The inauguration of the line was celebrated by an
excellent dinner in the evening at the Assembly Rooms,
Bury. There were between 300 and 400 guests.
irina r
present.
the
John Chevalier Conbflbuaelndt,laEl
gentlemen
n t the a
company presided. He wits suppprted by the mayor.
A great
Due justice having been done to the viands
and
supe-
rior wines,
The CHAIRMAN gave the usual loyal and constitu-
tional toasts, which. were warmly responded to.
Two banners disported themselves on the walls, on
which were inscribed, " Success to Cobbold and the
Directors of the Ipswich and Bury Railway—" Success
to Agriculture and Commerce, and the Ipswich and
Bury Railway.„
In proposing the health of the Queen, the CHAIRMAN
said she was a great patron of railways, as she
had travelled over more miles of railway than any
other Sovereign.—(llear, .) Prince Albert, too,
was a great railway traveller. He hoped he
would condescend to visit Bury, as many of
her Majesty's progenitors had done. They had
not only visited the ancient town, but had resided in it,
and the Ipswich and Bury railway might be the
means of again bringing royalty amongst them.—(Loud
cheers). He then gave in succession the following
toasts :—The Bishops of Norwich and Ely, and the Clergy
of the diocese ; the High Sheriff of the county ; the
High Steward of the liberty of Bury St. Edmund's
(Earl Jermyn), whom he was glad to have seen at the
station on their arrival ; the Lord-Lieutenant and the
Magistracy of the county of Suffolk.
To the last toast,
The Rev. Mr. ANDERSON returned thanks. He said,
when the railway was projected he thought it would be
a frightful source of crime and outrage, but he confessed
he had been disappointed, as he found that those who
,had been employed on it had conducted themselves in
the best manner. He siticerely hoped that it would be a
source of great profit to its projectors.

The CHAIRMAN next proposed
." The Mayor, Alder-
men, and Burgesses of the Borough." It was most
gratifying to both his brother directors and himself, and
also, he was sure, to the long train they all came in, to
have met with the reception they did on their arrival,
from the mayor and corporation.—(Cheers.)
Mr. GURDAN, the Recorder of the borough, briefly
returned thanks, and congratulated the company on

- -
their safe arrival.
The CHAIRMAN next gave " The health of the Mem-
bers for the County,",which was drunk with enthusiasm.
Captain BENNETT returned thanks. He regretted the
absence of the other representatives of the county from
unavoidable circumstances, and proposed the health of
the Chairman. He said he not only looked upon
him as a friend, but as a benefactor—as one who
had done great service to his country—(Cheers)—
and they had to congratulate each other that they could
shake hands on such terms, for he was the prime mover
and almost the completer of the great undertaking they
had met to celebrate.—(Cheers.) They had to thank
him for his great services in providing the country with
efficient railways.—(Loud cheers.)
The toast was warmly respondnd to.
The CHAIRMAN said be felt quite unable to return
thanks for the honour they bad conferred upon him—
the more especially as it had been made and received in
such a flattering manner. He assured them he felt un-
worthy of the encomiums lavished upon him.—(Cries of
" No, no !")—but :he would do his best to thank them.
Being within these walls brought many old aseo-
ciations to his mind, although thirty or forty
years had passed away since he was last there. He went
to school in the town, and it was most gratifying now to
him to be present under such different circumstances.
He, perhaps, ought to apologise for the imperfect state
of the railway on their first visit; he should like to
have seen it complete ; but he was sure ;they would
forgive the company, when he called to their recol-
hction that it was scarcely more than a year since
the works were commenced.—(Hear, hear, and loud
cheers.) The stations were not yet in the condition in
which they would like to receive the gentry of their
district, but he hoped they soon would be, and that they
would give them credit for what they had accomplished.
—(Loud cheers.) But they had good reasons for paying
their respects to the town of Bury before the completion
of the line, of visiting them a little before their workmen,
which no doubt had had great influence on himself and
his brother directors. In the first place, at this time of
the year they were accustomed to see turkeys, hares,
and game conveyed out of the district to London. Now
they hoped to have the satisfaction of carrying some of
these turkeys—(Roars of laughter)—in the next place
there were a great many gentry living in London, who
were not only too glad to receive such courtesies from
their country friends, but they sometimes sent in return
stilton cheese and oysters, which was something better
than a mere acknowledgment through the penny post.
He hoped they would have the satisfaction of conveying
both.—(Hear.) Besides they would have the advantage
of getting to and from London in much less time than at
present. He hoped they had that day laid the germ of
a good union between the eastern and western districts
of the county.—(Cheers.) He should have done injus-
tice to those with whom he had the pleasure of acting if
he appropriated their approval to himself, because he
had the satisfaction of being associated with two deputy-
chairman, one whose comprehensive mind left him no-
thing to think of, and the other whose active, energetic,
and singular adaptation of talent for the development of
their system, left him nothing to do.—(Cheers.)
Mr.IEAGLE proposed " The Directors of the Railway."
Colonel BARLOW returned thanks. He said the duties
of the directors were extremely light, and, therefore, not
much credit was due to them, as they were supported by
one who was in himself a host, and who had been mainly
instrumental in carrying out that and other undertak-
ings of similar importance. If the directors required
only stimulus, the high compliment passed upom them
by the assembly which surrounded him, would be a suffi-
cient inducement. He concluded by
,proposing " The
,orporations of Ipswich and Norwich.'
`-' The MAYOR of Ipswich returned thanks.
Mr. DONALDSON apologised for the absence of the
Mayor of Norwich from an unavoidable engagement.
The CHAIRMAN next proposed the " Directors of the
Eastern Counties, who were the first to project railways
towards that part of the kingdom.—(Cheers.) They
had not the honour of the chairman's attendance, but the
deputy-chairman (Mr. Waddington) had done them the
honour of coming from London, and of travelling along
the Ipswich and Bury Railway, although he was obliged
to travel on to Cambridge in order to fulfil an engage-
ment of long standing; but he had the pleasure of seeing
several directors of that company amongst them.
The toast was drunk in a bumper.
Captain BUTLER returned thanks.
Colonel BARLOW proposed the health of Mr. Saunders,
the secretary.
Mr. SAUNDERS, in replying, said the only credit that
was due to him was for having followed the orders of
the directors, who had neither swerved to the right hand
nor to the left, and who had thereby obtained the
confidence of the public, which had been
so unequivocally manifested that day. He
hoped that was not the last occasion on
which- they would meet to celebrate similar inaugura-
tions, for the line that day opened was but the first
instalment of what the Eastern Union Company intended
to confer on that part of the country.—(Loud cheers.)
Whilst he continued in their service he should do his best
to deserve the eulogy they had passed upon him
and he should not be satisfied if Bury St . Edmund's
did not partake, in an equal degree of the benefits which
railway had conferred on other parts of the country.
The following toasts were then drank before the
separation of the company at a late hour :—" The
directors of the• Ely and Newmarket," "Mr. Locke, the
consulting engineer," "Mr. Bruit', the acting engineer,"
and " Mr. Few, the solicitor."
A meeting was held at one o'clock this day, when it
was fully expected, that the amalgamation of this line
with the Eastern Union would be agreed to,

DEATH of SIR CHARLES MORGAN,

BART.

We regret to announce the demise of the above vener-
able baronet, who, after a brief illness, expired on Sa-
turday last, at two o'clock, A.M., at Tredegar House, the
family seat in Monmoutshire. We understand that
shortly after the deceased baronet returned to Tredegar
from participating in the nuptial festivities at Llanover
Court, the seat of Sir Benjamin and Lady Hall, he was
attacked by influenza, which, at the moment did not oc •
casion the least alarm, but more serious symptoms inter-
vened, and in a few days the condition of Sir Charles
became hopeless. He expired at the above hour, with-
out pain, surrounded by Lady Rodney and his sons. Sir
Charles M. R. Morgan, M.P., his eldest son, was unable
to attend the death-bed of his venerable father, owing
to severe indisposition. The deceased Baronet was
eldest son of Sir Charles Gould Morgan, Bart.,
formerly Mr. Charles Gould, D.C.L., an eminent
civilian, who married Jane, eldest daughter of
Mr. Thomas Morgan, of Ruppera, county of Glamorgan,
and brother of Sir Charles Morgan, K. 13., of Tredegar.
He was Judge-Advocate General, Judge Marshal of the
Forces, and a Privy Councillor; in 1779 he received the
honour of knighthood, and in 1782 was created a baronet.
In conformity with the testamentary injunction of his
brother-in-law, John Morgan, he assumed, and, by the
royal permission, took the surname of " Morgan," and
the arms of that family. He died in 1806, shortly after
he had retired from the representation of the county of
Brecon in the House of Commons. On his demise, Sir
Charles Morgan succeeded to the baronetcy, which he
has enjoyed just forty years. The late baronet was
born the 4th of February, 1760, and had consequently
nearly attained the eighty-sixth year of his age. He
married Mary Margaret, daughter of Captain George
Storey, R.N., by whom, who died in 1807, he had a
family of four sons and three daughters, namely, Charles
Morgan Robinson Morgan, M.P. (now Sir Charles), born
in 1792, married in 1827 to Miss Mundy, only daughter
of General G. B. and the Hon. Mrs. Mundy; Mr.
George Morgan, recently deceased; the Rev. Augustus
Morgan; Mr. Octavius Morgan, M.P.; Maria Margaret,
married to Colonel F. M. Millman; and Angelina Cecilia,
married to Mr. Hugh Owen, eldest son of Sir John Owen,
Bart.; and Charlotte, married to the late Lord Rodney.
The late Baronet was a most liberal landlord, and had
for a long series of years expended large capital in the
improvement of his extensive property in Wales. There
was not in the principality such a munificent promoter of
the welfare of the agricultural classes, and it may be
said, that no man living has done so much to introduce a
more improved system of agriculture, and achieved such
extended benefits to the occupiers of land, as the
deceased. The inducements he held out to breeders of
live stock are well known, for his annual cattle show at
Tredegar (which was appointed for the present week),
has for the last quarter of a century maintained a high
character in Wales, the respected deceased giving prizes
annually to nearly 5001. in the shape of silver cups and
premiums. Last winter the nobility and gentry and
the yeomanry of the counties of Brecon and Monmouth
caused a subscription to be raised to present the worthy
Baronet with a testimonial, and we believe a sum little
short of 3,000/. was subscribed. The late Baronet is
succeeded in his estates and family honours by his eldest
son, M.P. for Brecon, above-mentioned. The present
Baronet has represented Brecon in the House of Com-
mons since 1818, excepting the sessions from 1832 to
1835.

ALARMING ExpLosioN.—Last evening an alarming
explosion of gas occurred in Church-street, Blackfriar's-
road, which was nearly attended with the most disastrous
consequences. During the early part of the day work
meu had been employed repairing the pipes in the streets,
and considered everything perfectly safe. A little be-
fore five o'clock. however, the inhabitants were alarmed
at hearing a noise resembling the discharge of a piece
of cannon, at the same time it was found that the brick-
work and partition under the parlour window of Mr.
Pallevirsa, in Church-street, were shattered, a portion
of the flooring lifted up, and several ,feet of the ceiling
destroyed. A number of workmen were sent by the gas
company, and were at a late hour last night engaged in
repairing the mains.
THE ST. PANCRAS VESTRY AND MR. MILLs.—A t
a special meeting held yesterday evening of the commit-
tee, appointed at the last vestry meeting of St. Pancras,
to consider the course to be taken in reference to the
conduct of Mr. Mills, the deputy-coroner for Middlesex,
the following resolution was unanimously agreed to:—
" That in the opinion of this committee the conduct of
the deputy-coroner, in publishing an exparte statement
of the evidence given on the late inquiry into the death
of Joseph Woodward, pending the said inquiry, and in
which he was the presiding judge, accompanied with
observations derogatory to the vestry and directors of the
poor of this parish, was highly unbecoming; and that a
report be drawn up by the committee, recommending the
vestry to take proceedings in the Court of Queen's Bench
to ascertain the opinion of that Court respecting such
conduct."
THE DESTITUTE HIGHLANDERS.—The suffering
population in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland is
estimated at 100,000.—Edinburgh Paper.

MA GAZINES-(CONTINUED.)
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE.

1 The biographical sketch of M. Adolphe Thiers, the
historian of the revolution and the empire, and the
great French statesman, is continued; or, we may say
at once, completed. Although the writer is some-
times painfully discursive, he is generally so lively
and beyond all discriminates the character of Thiers,
with such impartiality, that his composition will be
generally welcome. Here is a condensed explanation
of the difference in oratory between the rival states-
men of France :

" M. Guizot, who then far surpassed him as a master
of Parliamentary eloquence, would fasten upon some one
great principle, some prominent idea, and by presenting
it to his audience in various points of view, render the
dullest minds familiar with it, until he would make them
believe the principle was their own. This is peculiarly
the art of a professor, and hence the success of M.
Guizot in its application. M. Thiers, on the contrary,
would crowd into his speech such a diversity of topics,
so intermingled with anecdotes and historiettes, that his
discourse resembled a piece of mosaic, very dazzling to
the eye, but having little to engage the more reflective
powers of the understanding. While the one orator
would reproduce the same leading idea in many speeches,
the other would crowd a plurality of leading ideas into
a single speech. In leaving the house after hearing M.
Guizot, the Deputies went home thinking of the subject;
in leaving the house, after hearing M. Thiers, they went
home thinking of the man."

When we remember the pecuniary disadvantages,
the ignoble origin, and the friendless condition of
Thiers ; when we remember how he had to conquer
the antipathy of the fastidious for his vulgarity, to
enable the multitude to behold his little body as
plainly as though it were colossal, to move the
passions of the members of the Legislative Chambers
by his sing-song oratory, and to diminish the disgust
with which his shrill voice was first listened to, and
his grotesque gesticulations first beheld, we shall
be enabled to form some conception of the
vastness of his intellectual capacities of the
indomitable audacity of his ambition, of the
profundity and extent of his knowledge. It is im-
possible to desert this subject without transcribing a
few fragments from the brilliant and masterly sketch
of M. Thiers, as drawn by M. Cormenin, otherwise
celebrated as Timon. He says—

" M. Thiers is the essence of mind; he is intellect to
the tips of his lips and points of his nails. His organi-
zation is like that of Voltaire, frail, delicate and mobile.
He has the caprices and naughtiness of a child, with. the
assumption of the gravity of a philosopher. More a
man of letters than a statesman, and more an artist than
a man of letters, he will dote upon an Etruscan vase, and
care little for liberty. As a Cabinet Minister, he con-
ceives great designs; like a woman, he is bold in small
matters. He has courage, but it is like that of delicate
and sickly people—it comes in feverish fits, ending by
nervous attacks and fainting fits; these weaknesses are
only tolerated on a sofa ; in politics, fainting is not
suffered.

"He thinks without effort, produces without ex-
haustion, advances without fatigue, and arrays his ideas
before you with a rapidity which is inconceivable ;
former times pass in review before his memory in their
order, and proper costumes, and nature, which others
court, comes to him uninvited in all the pomp of her
majesty, and all the graces of her smiles. Have you
ever seen in the steam -boats which traverse our rivers,
the banks reflected in the suspended mirrors? They are
reflected while the boat advances—fair villages, churches
with tapering spires, verdant meadows, hoary mountains,
gay vessels, the flocks of the valley, the clouds of heaven,
animals and men, seem to fly past in rapid succession in
the glass. Such is M. Thiers. A sort of Parliamentary
mirror, he reflects the passions of others, and cold and
hard as the glass is, without passions himself. He weeps,
but his eyes are tearless; he pierces his breast with a
poignard, but draws no drop of blood; a mere drama all
that, it is true, but what a drama, and what an actor!
What nature, what suppleness, what powers of insinua-
tion, what inflexions of voice; what transparency and
lucidity of style ; what negligent grace of language.
Actor you deceive me, but why should I complain; you
deceive even yourself; you play your part to admiration,
but it is only a part. I know that very well, and yet I
allow myself to be ravished by your seductions. I give
myself up to you; so long as you speak I am under a
charm; and I almast prefer to listen to error from your
mouth, to hear truth from any other. . . .
"He is more elastic than a spring of the finest steel
—he bends and unbends—he rises and falls with his
subject—he will roll himself spirally round a question
from its base to its summit—he mounts, descends, re-
mounts, -hangs in the branches, hides himself in the
thickest foliage, appears, disappears, and passes a thou.
sand times in and out with the pretty agility of a
squirrel—he would extract money even from a stone—
where others glean, he reaps. He extends his plumage,
and shows, by turns, every hue of purple, gold, and
azure. He does not speak, he coos—he does not coo, he
lisps—he does not lisp, he warbles—and he is so dazzling
both to the eye and to the ear, that one does not know
which to admire most, his plumage or his song. He
will give you a speech of three hours' length on archi-
tecture, poetry, law, navigation, or war, and yet he is
neither a poet, a lawyer, a mariner, or a soldier—all he
will require is an evening's preparation. If he describes
a battle he astonishes the oldest generals. If he speaks
of walls, roofs, stone, and mortar, you would actually
believe him to be a mason or an architect. He will
dispute with Gay-Lussac on questions of chemistry, and
teach Arago how to direct his telescope at Venus or
Jupiter.
" The fine arts, canals, roads, finances, commerce,
history, the press, politics, anecdotes of the streets,
theatres, war, literature, religion, municipalities, mo-
rality, amusements, great things, middling things, little
things—what does it matter to him, he is ready at all.
He is so, because in fact he is prepared upon nothing.
He does not speak like other orators, because he speaks
like people of the world. Other orators prepare them-
selves more or less, but he improvises ; other orators
perorate, but he chats ; and who can be on their guard
against a man who chats like you or me ? What did I
say ? infinitely better than you, or than me, or than any
one else.
"I have one fault, however, to find with M. Thiers.
It is, that sometimes he cannot restrain his laughter
when he is descending from the tribune. Now, a good
comedian never laughs at the farce which he plays. On
this point, M. Thiers has something to learn. If M.
Thiers spoke slower, he would be less listened to ; but
his volubility is such, that the House cannot go before
him, or even follow him. Once started, he proceeds at
full gallop, from the morning to the evening. If the
Almighty had foreseen that the day would come on
which he would create a Thiers, he would undoubtedly
have made the earth turn on its axis in forty-eight hours
instead of twenty-four."
The " Scamper through the Long Vacation " is pur-
sued without any abatement of vivacity, and the con-
tributor rattles over the continent at a breakneck
speed and with a charming volubility. Buerger's
magnificent ballad of " Leonora" is translated in this
number with vigour and delicacy. Of the passionate
freedom of the translation some notion may be formed
from this agonized stanza :
" Oh, mother, mother, Gone is Gone !
Departed is Departed
Woe, woe is me I—Alone, alone,
Alone and broken-hearted
Die out, die out, my life's lost light 1
Down, down,
_ in everlasting Night I
God spareth not nor caretb,
Woe 1 woe 1 my soul despairethl"