The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-11 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

There is every prospect that the telegraph between
New York and Boston- will I e completed as far as
New Haven by the time the next stearnsiiip arrives at
Thston.

_ Snow in the United States appears to have been fall-
ing in such quantities as materially to impede the traffic
of the main lines.
TOURS AND NANTES.—The works o❑ this line are
urged with such activity, that the section from Tours to
Saumur is likely to be finished in a year. The road-
way and the stations are being constructed at the same
time.

BORDEAUX AND BAYONNE.—ne conferences which
have taken place between the'military engineers and the
agents of the ponts-ct chaussees, on the subject of the
direction to be taken by this line, were brought to a
termination on Monday. The result is, that the line is
to quit the railway from Bordeaux to the Mediterranean
at Podensac, follow the Valley of the Ciron, and cross
the great plain of the Landtes, to arrive at the Mont-de-
Marsan. Quitting that city, the line will- follow the
course of the Midouze, reach the right bank of the
Adour, and arrive at Bayonne near the fortifications.
THE SHREWSBURY AND BIRSIINCIIAM.—A petition
to Parliament in favour of this line, says our Birming-
ham ct,rrespenthnt, was laid before the ironmasters'
meeting at Birmingham on Thur.day, and signed by all
the ironmasters of the district through which the line
will pass.
PERTH AND INVERNESS.—WINDING UP.—At a
meeting of the subscribers, just held at Perth, it was re-
solved—" That the altered state of the money market,
and of the general circumstances of the country since
this scheme was projected, render it eminently ailviaable
that the same should not be further proceeded with in
the meantime, but that the deposits, less the expenses,
should be immediately returned, and all parties freed
from their obligations up to this date, leaving to the
scripholders a preference in the scheme should it after-
wards be resumed."

Within the lat few weeks (says the Doncaster Gazette)
Messrs. Flower and Co., of Gainsborough, wharfingers,
have established a regular steam communication between
Gainsborough and London. The railways had nearly
destroy ed the legitimate trade of Gainsborough by di-
verting the traffic into other channels.
The directors of the Boston, Newark, and Sheffield
have resolved not to wind up the concern at present, but
to return IL per share forthwith to the shareholders.

The Sheffield and Manchester are abuut to commence
their locomotive establishment at Gorton.

The clause to be propos( d by Mr. Hudson, after
Easter, to be inserted in all railway Acts, provides that
registered shareholders, "at a meeting called for the
purpose of dissolution, at which meeting three-fifths of
the registered proprietors shall be present, either per-
sonally or by proxy, shall be enabled to dissolve, having
given full compensation to all landowners for any losses
which they may have sustained from the opeiation of
the Act."
WINDING-UP.—There are vigorous efforts now being
made at Birmingham on the part of the shareholders in
several of the lines projected last year, and now in pro-.
gress through Parliament, to get the directors to with-
draw them for the present and wind-up. A great num-
ber of shareholders in the Direct Leicester have already
signed a memorial to the directors to call a meeting of
subscribers with a view to close the business of the
o tncern.

HIGHLAND ROADS and BRIDGES

TO THE HONOURABLE THE KNIGHTS, CITIZENS, AND
BURGESSES, IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED.
The Thirty-Second Report of the Commissioners ap-
pointed for the purposes of an Act passed in the 59th
year of the reign of his late Majesty King George
111., intituled, "An Act to repeal two Acts, made in
the 54th and 55th years of his present Majesty, for
maintaining and keeping in repair certain Roads and
Bridges in Scotland ; to provide more effectually for
that . purpose, and for Regulation of Ferries in Scot-
land."
The highlands of Scotland have been almost entirely
exempt from snow during the past winter, and few of
the casualties ordinarily attendant on the breaking up
of the frost have occurred. The wear and tear of the
general surface of the roads has somewhat exceeded the
average ; but the whole, with the exception of the Loch-
side road (which the floods have repeatedly covered with
rubbish, not yet removed), are stated to be now in good
travelling order.
In the county of Inverness the Fairy bridge, on the
Stein road (which fell in 1844), and a heavy breast wall,
near Coran Ferry, on the Fort William road, which was
carried away in the past season, have been rebuilt. On
the Badenoch road the expenditur. of a further sum of
3601., between Aviemore and the Bridge of Carr, has
rendered this portion as safe and convenient as any part
of the Highland line.
The "Improvement " tolls on the Inverrnorriston road
have been applied, to the amount of 3221., in widening
the bridges. of Ruskie and Aberiachan, in building
parapets, removing prominent points of rocks, and in-
creasing the width of the road-way, principally between
Ruskie Ince and Strone Castle. On the Fort William
road much has been done (at a cost of 199/.) by rock
cutting and embankment along the shore of Loch Eil,
between Corran Ferry and Fort William. In Strath-
glass (Beauly road) has been effect. d an alteration in-
volving much labour and expense of rock cutting through
the steep and dangerous bill adjuring the well-known
scenery of " The Dream." On the South Boleskine
road, the produce of the "Improvement" toll, which has
hitherto been suffered to accumulate, has been directed
to be appropriated at a pass where frequent accidents
have oceurred, near Aldonrie.
From the surplus tolls on the Fort George road, a
further sum of 3001. has now been directed to be handed
over to the county trustees, making 9701. paid in reduc-
tion of the original debt.
In Ross-shire the Milnain bridge, on the Contin road,
and the breast-wall near 13,,r0i1, on the Kintail road
(which fell in 1814), have been rebuilt: the Conan bridge
approaches further improved ; and an important altera-
tion at the Logic bridge, near Tain, has been completed.
Upon the application of the county, agreed to at their
meeting of the 30th of April last, the Commissioners
have consented to add to their charge the High-street
of Tain, so far as it is in the line of ale Parliamentary
road ; and having received satisfactory certificates of
their state of repair from their principal inspector, they
have now assumed the care of the streets of the royal
burghs of Dingwall and Tain, as well as Fort Rose.
In Sutherland and Caithness no outlay for other than
ordinary repair has been made.
In Argyllshire a portion of the Glenco road has been
satisfactorily improved, and will be open to travellers in
the coming summer ; but in conformity with the ex-
pressed desire of the county, the larger portion of the
works necessary to render the communication south-
ward of Balachelish safe and convenient, were postponed.
Their gradual execution will however, be kept in view.
It has been found necessary to widen the approaches
to Craig Ellachie bridge (Morayshire), and the whole of
the timber and iron-work of the bridge has also been re-
pair. d and painted.
The total expense of repairs of 1845, to which the
assessment is applicable, independently of the works ex-
ecuted from the produce of the "Improvement " tolls
above mentioned, has been 9,6041. 6s. 7d. ; but in this
expenditure are included the works of which the Com-
missioners here annex the particulars and amount of the
cost ; considering them as extra works, to be distin-
guished from ordinary repairs:—
INVERNESS-SHIRE.
1. Extra expense on the Lochnagaul and £ a. d.
Lochyside roads, caused by carriage
of materials for repair of Caledonian
Canal ...
2. Repairs to timber bridge at Laggan,
East Laggan road ... ... 28 810
3. Rebuilding Fairy Bridge, Stein road 55 12 7
4. Railways on Beauly road ... 76 8 8
5. Repairing damage by floods on Fort
William road ...
6. Improvements between Carr Bridge
and Aeiernore, Badenoch road 360 6 2
ROSS-SHIRE.
7. Rebuilding Milnain Bridge, Contin
8. Improvement at Logie Bridge, Inver-
gordon road ... 317 1 2
9. Ditto at Conan Bridge, Dingwall road 89 14 4
10. Rebuilding Breast-walls, Kintail and
Glen Shiel roads ...
MORAY AND BANFF.
11. Repairing and painting Craig Ellachie
Bridge, and improving approaches ...
ARGYLLSHIRE.
12. Improvements on Glenco road, and re-
pair of damage from floods ...
13. Building Breast-walls, Glenco road

51 12 4

111 2 2

248 8 9

31 11 1

Leaving for ordinary expecditure
The general expenses. including 1061. in-
curred in connexi, n with the Caith-
ness District Roads, have been (511.
less than in 1844) ... ••• ... 2,200 0 0
The total amounts recoverable from the counties by as-
sessment during the last four years have been as
follows, viz.:— £ s. d.
1842 ... 4,302 0 0
1843 ... ... ... 4,640 0 0
1844 ... ... ... 4,402 0 0
1845 ... ... ... 4,566 0 0
The whole of the assessments for the year 1844 have
been paid to the cashier of the Commissioners.
The Appendix to this report contains (No. I.) the
Account of the Monies Received and Disbursed by the
Commissioners in the year 1845 (except for the Caith-
ness District Roads) ; (No. II.) the Account of the
Sums Payable by the Counties for the same year ;
(No. III.) a Statement of the Sums Received and D s-
bursed by the Commissioners in respect of the Caithness
lli trict Roads, in the year ending Dec. 31, 1845.
By order of the Commissioners,
SAMUEL slum,
Secretary to the Commissioners.

March 20, 1846.

Is CHALK MANURE?—This question, one of great im-
portance to the agricultural body, was brought to an issue
before the Court of Quarter Sessions at Dorchester, on Wed-
nesday last, when was heard an appeal against the' decision
of two magistrates, who had convicted a toll-keeper in the
penalty of 455., for charging toll on a waggon. load of that
article. Mr. Ffooks, in support of the conviction, showed by
two old agricultural works, published in 1718 and 1727, that
chalk was used as a manure in those days, and that it was
mentioned in that quality so long ago as the time of Julius
Caesar. As a manure it would he exempted from toll by the
5 and 6 William IV., cap. 18. For the appellant, Mr. Stock
quoted Johnson's definition of manure, and contended that
although chalk might be classed as a component of manure.
it was not manure by itself; and had not been so contem-
plated by the Legislature. The Court at once and urani-
mously confirmed the conviction, deciding that chalk is
manure, and, on the application of counsel, granted the re-
apondeut's coats.