The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-28 00:00:00

L'4,l
4LI. OCTOBER 28, 1846.
,

best feeling, because I always admired the Manche3ter
and Leeds Company as men of business. It is true that
at one time we got a little cross, but I stood steadfastly
by your interests, and I am very happy to know that I
brought them through steely and unscathed.
The resolutions were then put and carried una-
nimously.
Mr. Love: proposed, and Mr. CRAWSIIAY, of Loneon,
seconded a motion of special thanks to the chairman,
which was carried amid loud applause.
Mr. Henson said in reply—To me it is a source of
ambition, pride, and gratification, that from all the com-
panies over which I have the honour to preside, I have
always enjoyed unanimous support and confidence.
hope that in promoting the interests of the shareholders,
I shall not forget the interests of the public. If I kno,ri
anything of myself; I believe I have done fairly betwixt
the two parties, and to this I attribute the success of the
undertakings with which I am connected. It is very
well, now that these undertakings are basking in sun-
shine, fur parties to get up and hold up to contempt, by
the use of opprobrious terms, individuals connected with
them. There was a time, when not only the share-
holders, but directors, had to contend with difficulties
almost appalling. We have surmounted those difficulties
by perseverance, energy, and industry, and, having done
so, I think we are richly entitled to our reward. The
public, at the same time, have been benefited immensely.
The agriculturist, the commercial man, the man of plea-
sure, the poor, the rich—all have participated in our
success. The agriculturist has been enabled to send
his produce to market at one-half the former cost. For
instance, there has been a difference in the price of corn
to the extent of 4s. or ss. per quarter at Wakefield
and Driffield; and as we carry corn upon the Bur-
lington line at 2s. per quarter, what an immense ad-
vantage it must be to the landed interest to have this
ready means of access to a better market ! Then the
poor are benefited by having coal brought to their doors
at one-half the price, and which has effgeted a saving, in
the case of the city of York, of about. 30,000/. it year.
We have not only reduced the price of that at tick., but
added much to the enjoyment of the poor man, who on
his return home on a cold winter's night, can resort to a
comfortable fireside.—(Applause.) We have no objet
Lion to interference with our concerns if we are reaping
an unfair advantage ; but we do object to those who
laughed at us in our difficulties, now coming in to legis-
late, and to lake from us that which we have fairly
earned, and to which weare fairly entitled.—(Applause.)
In whatever position I am placed I shall always regard
with gratitude and esteem the man who embarked his
c Thal under disadvantageous circumstances, and I shall
always rejoice and lend my willing hand to protect that
property to the utmost of my ability, knowing that in
doing so I am protecting the interests of the public.

YORK AND NEWCASTLE.
A special meeting of the proprietors of this company
was held shortly after.
Mr. HUDSON again presided, and there was a very ful]
attendance of shareholders.
The CHAIRMAN then said—With reference to the first
resolution, it is similar to the York case. The authority
to create the capital to which it has reference was ap-
plied for in the House of Commons under a declaration ;
by this means we saved the necessity of making a
deposit ; and this resolution is merely to confirm what
you have already done. The second resolution, and the
succeeding ones, provide for the purchase of the Great
North of England Railway and its works, by the creation
of 159,000 shares of 251. each, on the terms therein con-
tained, that purchase having to be completed by the year
1850. Gentlemen, the last time I had the pleasure of
meeting you, I had the satisfaction of informing you that
the Great North of England Railway was no longer a
losing concern to us, but that it was paying itself and
something more ; and I have no doubt that when the
Newcastle and Berwick Railway is opened it will add
materially to its receipts on the York and Newcastle
line ; and in 1850 I hope:to be able to pay you the same
dividend on the entire capital as you are receiving at
present. When all our works are completed and
opened to the public, we shall have 225 miles of railway
at a cost per mile of 99,4661. Therefore this reduces
the large price which we have to pay for the Great
North of England ; and, taking the whole together,
it does not make what we, in railway language, con-
sider a'very heavy average. The Midlands cost a much
larger sum, and the Manchester and Leeds averaged
about 60,0001. a mile. We shall have 225 miles of rail-
way at an average of less than 30,0001. a mile. By
spreading over a large extent of railway the average cost
per mile is thereby reduced, and we all well know that
the great security to railway property consists in the
low price at which it has been constructed. Now, in
the application of this principle, I have suggested over
and over again, and reflection, and everything I have
seen, convinces me that it would be a wise measure if we
united with the Newcastle and Berwick Company. We
should then have nearly 100 miles of additional railway
to include in the average, and an arrangement is now in
course of progress by which the Newcastle and Berwick
Company will probably apply in the next session of Par.
liament for an extension of fifty miles of branch railways,
and I think profitable branches too, and very advan-
tageous to the Newcastle and Berwick Company.—
(Applause.) If this is accomplished, and the two com-
panies become united, we should have 370 miles of rail-
way. I have made an estimate, along with Mr. H.
Wood, who has a local knowledge of the county,
that these fifty miles of branch railway can be
constructed for 10,0001, a mile, being through
a cheap, easy, and economical country. The
capital of the York and Newcastle Company, including
the purchase of the Great North of England Rail-
way, will amount to 6,625,0001. If you amalgamate the
two concerns—which I hope you will do—you will have
a capital of 8,825,000/., and a length of 375 miles of
railways, at an average cost of 23,800/. per mile. This
reduces the average very materially, and you will have
375 miles of the best lines in England.—(Applause.)
Although this is not a Newcastle and Berwick meeting,
still I think it may be interesting for you to know the
probable position of that company. Last week I had
the satisfaction of riding on the whole length of the
Newcastle and Berwick Railway, when I examined
every contract, and saw the position of the whole works,
and I will pledge you this—that no bridge built on the
line will give way, whatever may be the floods: which
they may encounter.—(Applause.) I never saw more
substantial works in my life, and no person who takes an
interest in works of this character can fail to be ex-
tremely gratified, at the substantial and handsome man-
ner in which they have been executed. Gentlemen, I
have no doubt that the Newcastle and Berwick Railway
very
u
rapidly with the high
level bridge at Newcastle. Nearly
cmorointrtalictoofrsFareebruparoeryeneedxint.a.
are also b e openedar aware thatby the contractors
the whole of the property required for
the approaches
has been purchased, and a large quantity of it paid for.
The houses are being pulled down, the arches are being
built on the land side, and the works are proceeding
most rapidly on the river. We have got Nasmyth's
steam pile driver, which drives piles with the most won-
derful facility. No doubt the bridge will be completed in
less time than was originally anticipated, and you may
pr re upon
hon
thiet
wt htoark
s wl everythingh
be carried
whichried out
wexertionith the
en
utmost do to
vigour possible.—(Loud applause.) I know that some
parties have an objection to the two companies being
amalgamated; but I think it would be a great improve-
ment if all the lines were amalgamated to Edinburgh.—
(Renewed applause.) You see what has been done by
the amalgamation of the Newcastle and Darlington, and
the Great North of England Railways. lam sure that
my sanguine friend (Mr. Oxley) never anticipated that
before the opening of the Newcastle and Berwick Rail-
way we should, be able to pay them 10 per cent. divi-
dend, without loss to ourselves. When a series of lines
are in the hands of one company it is extraordinary what
an increase of traffic takes place, and great facilities are
thereby derived for the transit of both passengers and
merchandise. I have no doubt that the receipts of the
Newcastle and Darlington line, by having p issession
of the Great North of England Railway, have been in-
creased in a large measure, and if we could arrange by any
means to bring the whole of the lines under one en-
tire management and control, I believe it would be a
vast advantage to the public on this side the island.—
(Cheers.) If any persons had any doubt as to the pro-
priety of an amalgamation between the York and New-
castle and the Newcastle and Berwick, I think they can
have no doubt now, after the bonus which the York and
Newcastle shareholders have received in the increase of
their capital. I thick it is only fair to state, that if they
are united, the capital for the entire construction of the
main line and branches of the Newcastle and Berwick
Railway should be raised by the shareholders of that
company.—(Hear, hear.) I consider that they will be
entitled to the issue of the requisite additional stock
themselves; it is their right and proper property, and
therefore, if the amalgamation should take place, it will
do so under the reservation that the Newcastle and Ber-
wick shall complete their line and branches, and shall
be entitled to such new shares as will be requisite fur
the completion of the works.—(Applause.) 1 have not
the least doubt—l firmly believe that the Berwick line
will be as productive as any part of our line. I have
seen the country, and I never felt more sanguine as to
the traffic to be derived. I have no doubt that, among
other things, we shall supply the whole district in with
coke; we shall do an immense trade in coal and coke.
In that opinion I am corroborated by my friend Mr.
Wood.
Mr. NICHOLAS WOOD, of Newcastle—l am quite sure
of "

The CEIAIRMAN—Then on the Newcastle and Berwick
line there is the best engine coal in the world, and the
whole district abounds in minerals. The district is one
also rich in agricultural produce, as the stock-yards abun-
dantly testify : it is perfectly delightful to behold them.
The great weight of this produce is taken to Newcastle,
principally in carts. By this description of conveyance
large quantities of produce are taken from as far as
Alnwick to Newcastle, a distance of 35 miles. This
produce will come as a matter of course on to the 13er•
wick Railway. There are ton or twelve coaches run-
ning between Newcastle and Berwick, and they are full
of passengers every day. When at Alnvvick I was in-
formed by a gentleman that a friend of his sat up one
night for three coaches, but every one of them was full,
and that his ponstantly been the (A.se,—(Applause.)
Then, looking to the cost of this lino, the main line will
cost something like 17,000/. per mile ; but, including the
proposed branches, the cost will be under 15,0001 per
mile. To my mind there never was a plaarer case made
qqt whgrpin qn 4Frpiempt tie qo 4aye snaested,

PRICE SD.

MANCHESTER AND LEEDS.

MANCHESTER, TUESDAY, FoUR P.M--This day at
nßoon
ke,oa special
fnuirpatniicompany
w
as generalpurpose m
held
oaftceretethai
ent
creating
of the
nl;aliaot,l6l
400shareholdersniicow eshares,;
h uto7stf
t5O/ each, in the Manchester and Leeds Company, to be
exchanged for existing shares of the same number and
amount in the Huddersfied and Sheffield Junction Rail-
way Company, in compliance with the requisitions of an
Act passed in the last session of Parliament, intitulcd
An Act to incorporate the Huddersfield and Sheffield
Junction Railway Compsny with the Manchester and
Leeds Rsilway Company.
Mr. SAMUEL BROOKS was, after the lapse of an hour,
called to the chair.
Mr. DARBYSHIRE, the law clerk, having reaa the
advertisement convening the meeting, and the clause of
the Amalgamation Act directing the company to hold a
meeting for the above purpose, within two months after
the passing of the Act,
The CHAIRMAN briefly stated the objects of the meet-
ing, his statement being in substance merely a reiteration
of the terms in the advertisement; after which he moved
the following resolutions seriatim :—" That pursuant to,
and in compliance with, the provisions of the Act to
incorporate the Huddersfield and Sheffield Junction Rail-
way Company with the Manchester and Leeds Railway
Company, passed in the last session of Parliament, this
company does now create 10,640 new shares of 501. each.
That the said new shares be appropriated and disposed
of to the proprietors of shares in the Huddersfield and
Sheffield Junction Railway Company in manner directed
by the said Act."
The motion having been seconded,
Mr. GEORGE HADFIELD, solicitor, called the attention
of the chairman to the fact, whilst the shareholders in the
Huddersfield and Sheffield Company were allowed interest
upon their calls by the Leeds Company, the shareholders
in the Bury and Liverpool Company were not allowed
any interest at all upon the calls made upon them.
Mr. DARBYSHIRE stated that the proper time to
mention this subject would be at the Liverpool and Bury
Railway meeting, which would take place in about three
weeks.

The resolutions then passed, and the proceedings ter-
minated.

NORTH BRITISIL-MEETING OF YORKSHIRE

SHAREHOLDERS.
Yonx, TUESDAY, OCT. 27.—Yesterday afternoon a
numerous and influential meeting of shareholders in the
North British Railway took place at the White horse
Hotel, in this city, to take into consideration the best
course to be pursued at the general meeting, which is to
be held at Edinburgh on thenth inst.
Mr. Thomas Price was called upon to preside.
Mr. 11. WATSON, of York, said that the simple point
at issue that day was as to how the shareholders would
vote at the approaching meeting at Edinburgh. He
thought it desirable that a committee should be formed,
and that such committee should form a deputation to
wait upon Mr. Hudson, the chairman of the York and
Newcastle Company, to ascertain from that gentleman
whether he was willing to take the North British line
under his management and control, and whether an
amalgamation with the Edinburgh and Perth project
would forward the interests of the shareholders of this
company.
Mr. NuTT read letters from Mr. John Learmonth and
two others from Edinburgh, to the effect that it would
be desirable to amalgamate the North British Railway
with the Edinburgh and Perth.
A conversation of a desultory nature ensued, and it
was ultimately resolved that a deputation should wait
upon Mr. Hudson, to ascertain if he was willing to take
the management of the North British line, upon fair
and equitable terms. Tho committee having been
named, they immediately left the room, and waited on
Mr. Hudson, who received them in the most courteous
manner, and expressed his willingness to meet the views
of the North British Company, and to accept the ma-
nagenr.nt of the line upon fair and «juitable terms. This
announcement was received with an expression of gene-
ral approbation.
Oa the suggestion of the CHAIRMAN, a memorial was
then drawn up, requesting the directors to adjourn the
meeting of the 30th instant for a fortnight, so that teps
might be taken to obtain the signatures of shareholders
resident in other towns.

THE GREAT WESTERN.—The directors have deter-
mined strictly to enforce their by-laws, particularly with
respect to smoking at the stations and in the carriages,
a clause therein imposing a penalty of 4th. upon offenders.
THE MENAI TUBULAR BRIDGE.—STRENGTH or
TUDES.—Mr. W. Fairbairn and Mr. E. Hodgkinson
have both been engaged in extensive and independent
sets of experiments, to ascertain the best form to give to
the beams to be employed in the construction of the tu-
bular bridge by which the Chester and Holyhead Rail-
way is to be carried over the Menai Straits. Mr.
Fairbairn's experiments may be said to have only esta-
blished this general fact—that hollow beams of wrought
iron are about three times stronger than solid beams of
the same form. Mr. Hodgkinsou's experiments had for
their special object to ascertain what sort of hollow beam
is the best—oblong, or square, or cylindrical. From
the results which are shown in the following table, it
will be seen that the cylindrical are (as might have
been, and was, in fact, anticipated by Mr. Hodg -
kinson) the strongest of all, and the square next in
degree.

Weight of
Greatest
Resistanoe.

CYLINDRICAL TUBE.
External
Diameter of
Tube.
inches.
2.34
2.99
4.05
4.06
RECTANGULAR TUBE.
43 141 4. I +l.l 19,649
65 8 8 15+4.1 23,289
82 0 8. I+4l 43,673
91 1 8. o+B.o 27,545
The rectangular tubes were all of plates one sixteenth
of an inch thick, and all simple rectangles, except the
last but one, which had a partition in it, making it into
two divisions. On the 14th inst., the railway comany contracted for the construction of the first portion of this
bridge, which is to be called the Britannia. It is 45oft,
span. The greatest span of any rigid bridge hitherto
executed is 2 2t feet.,—Mechanics Movetzene.
1,14)4*0pl Tam Ni—yesterday morning othe
moat heavily laden goods traknk propelled by

Weight of Tube.

lb. oz.
47 10
45 15
59 0
64 4

31,828

37,356
47,212
49,900

between two companies- so deeply involved in each
other's interests, could be more beneficially entered
into.—(llear, and applause.) And I trust, unless
you see some strong reason against such en
arrangement being made, that you will assent to
ft, breause I au] quite satisfied that it w mild tend to
great economy, and a1.t.0 to the advantage of the public.
(Hear, hear.) I
- strongly tout ofic establistmumt
and one management from York to Berwick would l:e
most desirable; and if it should go beyond the re it would
be all the better.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, you are aware
that we have entered into the posses,ien of the Hartle-
pool Dock and Railway; but we shall keep the accounts
separate until we have obtained the snriction of Parlia-
ment to the purchase. On the 30th of Me-ember next
the coal lease on the York and Newcastle line gill ex-
Pire• and after that pried we shall cern° to a consider-
ably larger receipt for coal traffio. Our recipts are rathi r
more than 6,0001. per week for tl.is half-year, and I tru t
to see them considerably augmented.—(Applause.)
With respect to new projects we do not contemplate
asking the sanction of Parliament to any great under-
takings during the next session. The first Bill will he
for the Tean Valley line, which will give a shorter and
more direct route to the city of Durham, and will pass
through an important district both as regards minerals
and population. We shall have a small extension on
the Gateshead line to some considerable manufactories.
It will not exceed two or three miles in length, but
will give us a large accession of traffic on the parent
line. We shall have another Bill to confirm our pur-
chase of the Hartlepool Dock and Railway, and we
also contemplate a small branch to the town of Easing-
wold. We shall also apply again for a Bill to enable
us to construct a dock at Jarrow Slake. We are now
greatly inconvenienced for want of increased facilities in
the shipping t f coals, our means not being adequate to
our wants. We are working night and day, but it is
impossible that we can provide for the traffic until we
can increase our dock accommodation, when we shall
meetrincrease our trade, and cause to be brought from
foreign ports a large quantity of general merchandise.--
(A pplause.) The cost of this dock will be about 100,000/.,
and the work will be of easy construction.—(Applause.)
These are all the undertakings for which we shall solicit
Parliamentary sanction in the next session. lam happy
to inform you that the Boroughbridge branch is in course
of construction, and will probably be opened soon after
Christmas. The other branches are progressing, and
will be brought into profitable operatioa as seen as
possible. We propose that the extension shares shall
receive, after the Ist of July next, the same dividend
as the original stock. We feel confident that we shall
be in a condition to pay it, because the Newcastle and
Berwick line will then be opened; the North British, I
hope, will then be in an efficient state. Our traffic will
be so considerable as to enable us to give our present
rate of dividend on the increased stock. We have causes
in our Acts which enable us to convert our shares into
stock, and this we propose to do at the next half-yearly
meeting.—(Applause.) If before I put the resolution
any shareholder should wish for any further information,
I shall be most happy to afford it.—(Applause.)
Mr. IL LOVE put several questions on the chairman's
statement, the answers to which, however, did not elicit
any new facts with respect to the rate at which subse-
quent calls would be made.
The CHAIRMAN said that the directors would care-
fully consider the position of the proprietors.. He also
added that it was probable four per cen:,. would be paid
on the extension shares issued in January, until they
become the stock of the company ; but the directors
have not yet made up their minds on this matter, which
was of little consequence, as in all probability they would,
ere long, have 9 per cent.
The resolutions were then put and carried unani-
nimously.
Mr. T. Paten then proposed a vote of thanks to the
chairman and directors.
The motion was carried by acclamation.
The meeting then separated.