The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-28 00:00:00

'E RIA.L P ARLIAMEN T .

HOUSE OF LORDS, August 27.
The LORD CHANCELLOR, took his seat on the 'Wool-
Mick to-day at half-past Three o'clock.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH presented a petition
from certain attorneys praying that attorneys might be
appointed judges under the Small Debts Bill.
The LORD CHANCELLOR, while he had admitt6d
the qualification of attorneys, thought it would not be
right to allow attorneys to be judges in the courts.
Messengers brought up several Bills from the other
Louses.

PAWNBROKERS' BILL.
The Earl of CLAXENDON presented several peti-
tions in favour of this Bill.
this
DISTRICT LUNATIC ASYLUMS BILL.
On the motion of the Earl of CLARENDON,
pro-
Bill was read a third time, subject to amendments
posed by Lord ISlonteagle, and agreed to.
RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS' BILL
The Earl of CLARENDON moved the third reading
of this Bill. He said this Bill had originated out of the
recommendation of three railway Committees, two of
the House of Commons and one of their Lordships'
House. It did not pretend to be a final and complete mea-
ion when it had been taken up
sure. The period of the sass
iv
prevented ,the Government from ging it the mature deli-
a'ation it deserved. He was anxious that it should yet
be taken up, and a final substantial measure laid down,
the principles of which should be explicit, and held sacred
against encroachment ever after. He was anxious that
the mind of Parliament should be known, that it was
not their intention to do by delegates a duty which
properly belonged to themselves. There was no real
opposition to this measure in the other House, and he
hoped that it would meet with a similar reception from
their Lordships.
etted that this
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH regr
measure should have been brought under their Lordships'
consideration in the absence of his Noble Friend
best
quainted with these matters, inasmuch as he was lately
President of the Board of Trade, and the great portion
of his time was exclusively given to railway matters.
—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") He
boar himselof f had great
objections to public boards, from a d Poor-law
Commissioners—(Hear, hear, and laughter)—to a board
for the administration of the affairs of the empire. He
believed that a more perfect measure than this might
have been devised. The commissioners to be appointed
,should be gentlemen whose time should be exclusively
given to the carrying out of this measure ; but it ap-
peared by the Bill that they must be members of other
Government boards. On these grounds, therefore, this
measure had not his assent. It did not provide that the
commissioners should be individually responsible, and
was therefore highly objectionable.
The Earl of CLARENDON—You don't mean to
divide against it?
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH--Oh;
no; but I re-
gret that it has been brought forward.
The Bill was the read a third time and passed.
PAWNBROKERS' BILL.
This Bill was also read a third time and passed.
STANDING ORDERS.
On the motion of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY some
alterations were made in the standing orders of the House.
Lord MONTE AGLE sincerely hoped that the standing
orders of both Houses would undergo a complete revision
the next session, and thus thousands of pounds,whieh they
caused to be unnecessarily expended,would be saved to the
people of this country.
Messengers from the House of Commons brought up
several Bill_-, which were read a first time.
DISTRESS IN IRELAND.
The Earl of RODEN trusted that before their Lord-
ships adjourned he might be allowed to address them on
a subject which was of the greatest importance to thou-
sands in Great Britain. The Noble Lord at the bead of
her Majesty's Government had, a few days ago, intro-
duced in the other House a measure for the
purpoee of relieving the peop in le
the of Ire
potatoland from
crop. For
the sad
effects of the late failure
that measure the Government were entitled to much gra-
titude. The present Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was
also a gentleman of the most humane disposition, and
there could be no doubt that he would do his utmost to
relieve the distress es of the Irish people during the en-
suing winter. He (Lord Roden) had himself,
within the last few days, travelled through
the greater part of the province of Ulster,
and he was grieved to say that there was i.ot
one field of potatoes (which, their Lordships were aware,
was the staple food of the people of Ireland)ht was ac which was
not tainted and blighted, and that blig
companied with a blight in the oat crop.—(Hear.)
He said their Lordships would be aware that the potato
formed the greater part of the food of the population of
that country, and, therefore, if that root failed, the cala-
mity must be deep. But, after
had the means taken
the by
the Government already, he hoped that
quantities of food on the west shores of th
ac-
e
island, he meant the fisheries, might get
cess into the interior by inland communication, such as
railroads, which would greatly cheapen the necessary
supplies of food. He was sure this would be the effect of
railways, and he recommended the lending of money for
that purpose. His Lordship referred to the Mutlingar
line, and the branch from Galway t Athlone, o
which
was rejected during the present sessiono , as likely t effect
his Lordship's object.
Lord COURTOWN then addressed their Lordships,
but in a tone of voice quite inaudible in the gallery.
Lord MONTEAGLE said he felt extremely obliged
to his Noble Friends. Their Lordships would now see
that all the statements which lie had formerly
made were fully borne out. There had been a
very ill effect produced by the payment of
high wages in the Government works. Be
would wish to draw attention to a paper on their
Lordships' table with respect to the constabulary force,
they would see that they had remitted 180,000/. contri-
bution, by the way of bonus, to the people of Ireland,
and if they examined that they would see that
they deprived the peaceable counties of that expen-
diture which was sent, lie would almost say, as a kind
of bonus to the disturbed distriti.
The Duke of GRAFTON offered a few observations,
which were inaudible in the gallery.
The Earl of CLARENDON said he could not allow
the debate to conclude without offering a word or two.
He could not but express a desire that the advice of the
Noble Lord opposite should be adopted. The accounts
read by that Noble Lord (Roden) had been d
by all the intelligence received from the sister country.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, August 27.
The SPEAKER took Use- Chair at Half-past Three
'clock.
THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.
Mr. FORSTER moved for a message to the Lords for
a copy of the report on the Progress of the Building of
the Houses of Parliament.
The motion was agreed to, and a message was ac-
cordingly sent to the Lords.
DEBTOR AND CREDITOR.
Mr. WARBURTON obtained leave to bring in a Bill
to amend the law of debtor and creditor.
CORN-LAWS.
Mr. B. ESCOTT gave notice that he would move to-
niorrow for a return of the amount of duties paid on
wheat, barley, peas, and beans, since the passing of the
Corn-law Act, which account was to be made up to the
date of the return.
SMALL DEBTS BILL.
On the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL
the Lords' amendments to this Bill were read ant
agreed to.

PAWNBROKERS' BILL.
The Lords' amendments to this Bill were agreed to.
The House then adjourned, at half-past Four o'clock,
till half-past Two o'clock to-morrow.

SLIGO AND SHANNON RAILWAY.
The first general meeting of the proprietors of the
above undertaking was held yesterday afternoon, at Win-
chester House, Old Broad-street, when the usual routine
business of a first general meeting, namely, the appoint-
ment of directors and a secretary, was gone through.
The receipts were stated to be 4,8541. 45., and the ex-
penditure was 2,3761. 2s. I ld. The liabilities of the
Company did not exceed 300/. The remuneration of
the directors was fixed at 300/. per annum, and the
secretary's salary at 2501.

LONDONDERRY AND ENNIS-
KILLEN RAILWAY.
The ordinary half-yearly meeting of this Company
was held yesterday, at one o'clock, at 5, Church-passage,
Guildhall; J. J. Frith, Esq., in;
chair. The Directors
present were, Sir J. R. Campbell, Mr. Thomas, Mr.
G. Tyrrell, Mr. Warren, Mr. Clay, and Mr. Banbury.
Very few shareholders were present.
The advertisement convening the meeting having been
read, the seal of the Company was affixed to the register
of proprietors; and the minutes of the preceding meet-
ings having been read and confirmed,
Mr. HEMMING (the Secretary) read the report of the
directors, which stated that they had had reason to ex-
pect that it would have been in their power to have
fixed the day for opening the line between Londonderry
and Strabane, and that this event would have taken place
within a week or ten days of the present time. Every
arrangement was made, not only for the completion of
the works, but for the commencement of the traffic on
the Ist of September ; nd the contractor could
with ease have accomplished his works, if the
due payment of the calls had placed the necessary
funds at the disposal of the directors. The works
are still proceeding to an extent commensurate with
the means provided. The directors regretted that the
very considerable amount of arrears bad, for the present,
frustrated their exertions, and deceived their expecta-
tions. But for this, the important and profitable portion
of the line, from Derry to Strabane, would have now
been open to the public; and the Company would be
fast approaching that high position among the commer-
cial enterprises of Ireland, which the directors hoped
it was ultimately destined to attain. The leniency hitherto
shown,
by not enforcing the payment of arrears of calls,
had been, thus far, attended with a beneficial result;
payments to a considerable amount had recently been
made by shareholders, who, if more severe measures had
been adopted at an earlier period, would have found
great difficulty in meeting their engagements. It was
the shareholders who had paid their calls, and who
might with good reason have felt that further indulgence
to the defaulters was an act of injustice to themselves, to
decide whether this leniency should now have a limit, or
whether that discretion, which there is reason to believe
had hitherto been conducive to the generabe exer-
-1 inte-
rests of the country, should continue to
cised. The directors impressed upon the share-
holders the urgency for their co-operation to com-
plete the line to Strabane, which might still be
finished before the end of the present year. The open-

reepee.."."'" ~..........---
ing of the line would save one day's post between Derry
and Dublin, and otherwise produce chairs of great
local importance, with every prospect of a air return to
the shareholders, on which point the directors had not
seen asion to change their opinion. Anticipating the
difficulty which was now generally felt in procuring en-
gines, they have ordered
wsuoffiulcdienbte troeadepyento tmheeetlitehe;
carriages and trucks also h d
public wants, se soon as thefunedusrraetut their iilitiese.-
posal were adequate to meet the .
The Act of ParliEamigehnttmfiolreethoef athlteerpaetrimonanoefutthwe
aliyneofhthadoz
Strab
been:obtained.
ane line had been laid ; and the remainder of that
portion of the line was in such a forward state as only to
eration of the shareholders to ensure its
require the co-op
being opened for traffic at an early day. The members
of the deputation who visited the works were much gra-
tified at being enabled to satisfy themselves, by personal
observation, of the increasing commercial importance of
Londonderry, and the general character of its imports and
exrts. According to the Central Railway Act, four of
your director and one of your auditors go out of office
by rotation. The four gentlemen who leave the direction
are Philip Hanbury, John Leathem, George Tyrrell,
and Daniel Warren, Esqs., and the auditor, John
Elliott, Esq. They are all eligible, and offer them-
selves for re-election. It is gratifying, continued the
report, to be able to refer to a palpable benefit already
conferred upon the locality by the construction of these
works ; and the more so as it gives reasonable
hope of increasing prosperity and happiness to
Ireland. At the recent spring assizes at Londonderry,
the presiding judge, referring to the light character of
the calendar, stated his conviction that the same was
mainly attributable to the labour provided by the rail-
ways in progress, notwithstanding so large a number of
strangers had been attracted to, and were employed in,
the formation of the works; and with this and similar
testimony to the benefit which Ireland derives from her
railways, it is surely not unreasonable to expect that
her Majesty's Government will see the policy of doing
something to redeem those enterprises from the de-
pression under which, from various causes, they all,
more or less, are labouring. The accounts were made
up to the 31st July, 1846, but since that period they
had received calls amounting to 8,1101.
A report from the engineers, Messrs. Stephenson and
Ross, was read, which stated that the works, as far as they
had been executed, were highly creditable to the com-
pany and the contractor ; and that it was a matter of
serious regret to them that inability to meet the certi-
ficates for works executed had delayed the completion
of the contract, which, but for such impedimekts, could
have been now completed. They expected that the
completion of the works to Strabane would take place
before the end of the year, if not sooner. That portion
of the line, not only promised much traffic, but, from
the circumstance of the Dublin mails, as now arranged,
meeting in Derry, the opening of this line would hasten
the mails sufficiently to enable the merchants of Dr
to answer their letters the sae day ; in fact, bring
Derry one day nearer to Dublin and London, for all
purposes of commerce.
The balance sheet set forth the receipts at 73,3831.
7s. 6d.; the expenditure, 67,2111. 12s. 5d.; balance at
bankers, 6,1711. 15s. ld. Receipts since last half-yearly
report, 29,381/. 4s. 5d.; expenditure, ditto, 30,209/. 3s. 2d.
The CHAIRMAN said he had very little to remark upon
with respect to the affairs of the company, as the report
which they had heard read entered so fully into detail,
except to express his regret and the regret of those with
whom lie acted at the tone of complaint which they
were compelled to manifest with regard to the non-pay-
ment of calls. It was a source of great disappointment
to the directors that the line had not yet been opened as
far as Strabane, which, but. for the non-payment of those
calls, would have been opened at the end of this month.
They had now, in his opinion, obtained a very valuable pro •
perty, and it would be their own fault if it was nut
opened from end to end early in the ensuing year.
Mr. SKINNER inquired if a list had been made out of
the shareholders who had not paid their calls ?
The CHAIRMAN said such a list had been made out ;
it would be necessary to ask the shareholders how the
directors should act with respect to those defaulters,
whether it would be advisable to resort to legal proceed-
ings or not.
Sir J. R. CAMPBELL said he was applied to by the
board to superintend the making out of the list and to
examine into its accuracy. It would not be well, he
thought, to produce the list publicly, but the shareholders
might inspect it at the secretary's offs e.
Mr. THomas (deputy chairman of the Chester and
Holyhead Company) thought it would not be advisable
to produce the list, as their condition as a company might
be thereby deteriorated.'
A DIRECTOR said that, probably, if the defaulting
shareholders knew that the calls were limited to 151. per
share, and the traffic on the line would yield them Si.
per cent., they would be induced to pay up at once.
Mr. SKINNER wished to know if his impression was
correct that the line was not to be carried further than
Strabane without the consent of the shareholders ?
The CHAIRMAN said the impression was perfectly
correct. When the line was completed to Strabane they
should call the shareholders together and say, " There
is a property created for you, will you go further or
not ?" The amended Act of this session did not alter
the amount of capital, it was merely an Act to alter the
course of the line.
Mr. VANDEPUT recommended the carrying of the line
ten miles beyond Strabane, to Newton Stewart.
Mr. WATSON inquired if the line was fifteen Irish or
English miles in length ?
The SECRETARY said English miles. All Irish rail-
ways wero measured in English miles.
Mr. WATSON said he had recently been in Derry, and
having made several inquiries respecting the line, he
found that the traffice between that town and Strabane
was so considerable as to entitle it to the appellation of
its " spiciest" portion. They would, he believed, have
so much traffic on the fifteen miles that they would be
encouraged to extend it.
The CHAIRMAN stated, in reply
.to a question, that
the amount of unpaid calls, in addition to the 121. paid,
was upwards of 30,0001.
Mr. WATSON said it might be some satisfaction to the
shareholders to know that the agricultural traffic was as
good, if not better, in winter than in summer.
A SHAREHOLDER inquired if more than the 151. would
be required for completing the line, and, if not, whether
the directors intended to call upon those who had paid
their 151. to pay an additional amount?
The CHAIRMAN said a meeting would have to be
called to determine the matter ; and if there was a de-
ficit, that they must help the directors to get rid of it.
Sir J. R. CAMPBELL said a circular had been sent to
those shareholders who had not paid up all their calls,
and that the replies which they had sent were couched
in a friendly spirit, some saying that they would pay at
stated periods, others that it was their intention to do
so, and promising to fulfil the wishes of the directors as
soon as possible. The probability was, if legal proceed-
ings were adopted, that they would rather lose than
gain. It would be well to leave the matter in the hands
of the directors, in order that they might exercise their
discretion as to the best mode of obtaining the money.
The CHAIRMAN said, since the making up of the ac-
counts, 6001. of the first calls, 1,7251. of the second,
1,6871. 10s. of the third, and 3,9851. had been received,
making altogether 8,110/.
The report was then read and adopted.
A resolution was next passed empowering the di-
rectors to adopt such course for recovering the arrears
as they might think fit, and as might be most condu-
cive to the interests of the Company in each particular

case.
The retiring directors were then re-elected, a vote of
thanks passed to the chairman and directors for their
services, and the meeting separated.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE COAL, AND
GOOLE AND DONC ASTER RAILWAY.
A meeting of the shareholders in this amalgamated
undertaking was held yesterday at the London Tavern,
Bishopsgate• street, for the purpose of receiving the re-
port of the directors as to their success in obtaining their
Bill during the present session. The meeting was nu-
merously attended, and the chair taken at one o'clock
by Charles Thompson, Esq.
The solicitor having read the advertisement, by which
the meeting had been convened,
The CHAIRMAN said—Gentlemen, owing to the absence
of Lord Wharncliffe and Lord Fitzwilliam, the duty de-
volves upon me of presiding to-day. Lord Wharncliffe
has been taken ill with a severe attack of the gout, which
prevents his attendance. We have not been so success-
ful as we expected in the last session of Parliament, but
at the same time we have cleared the road for future
proceedings. We have been placed in a very painful
situation, owing to the delays that have arisen in the
different Committees, in which we have had to defend
our case from no less than nine competing lines, of
which, I think, seven have been completely defeated, and
with one we have made arrangements to take half
the line from the Sheffield Grange to Barnsley,
involving a capital of about 450,0001., which will
be distributed among the shareholders of the Goole and
Doncaster and South Yorkshire Amalgamated Com-
panies, one share for every five, provided those gentle-
men wish to take them, and if they decline to take the
shares we have companies and persons ready to take up
the whole of the shares that may be so refused. The
expenses attending the Parliamentary proceedings have
been much greater than we anticipated at our last meet-
ing. We said then that we supposed that they would
be ss. or 7s. on every share.
A SHAREHOLHER--2s. 6d., or ss.
The CHAIRMAN—Very well, 2s. 6d., or ss. Since
that time we have been put to various heavy
expenses in the House of Commons and the
House of Lords, which have run up the expenses
to about los. per share. The remainder of the
deposits will be returned to those parties that shall
signify their assent to take some of the Goole and Don-
caster shares at 31s. ; the South Yorkshire shares at 30s.
All those persons that wish to withdraw from the Com-
pany, and send their scrip, may have the whole of the
remainder of their deposits paid at the bank.—(Hear,
hear.) But as our position is now perhaps one of the
best in the kingdom, I may safely say that where there
were nine lines and nine capitals deposited with the
Accountant-General for this very ground that we
wish to occupy, it would be suicide on the part of
any shareholders in these lines to take their money back.
We have now almost a prospect of certainty of obtaining
our lines in the next) ear. We have the assistance of
every landowner on the line, and I believe, were it not
for the sake of the tolls which Parliament 1, vies on any
line of railway, those landed proprietors would make the
line upon their own property.—(ear,Baxter
will read the report, which I hope will be satisfactory to
you.
Mr. BAXTER accordingly read the directors' report,
which gave a history of their labours during the pre-
sent session, and concluded by recommending the share-
holders to continue the scheme, as they entertained the
most sanguine hopes of obtaining the line in the ensuing
session. This recommendation was received with loud
applause.
Sir CHARLES DODSON then said—Gentlemen, it ap-