The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-23 00:00:00

GRAND BALL AT GUILDHALL.

Lord Dudley Stuart, Mr. S. B. Kirby, Mr. W. Adam
Smith, Mr. R. G. M'Donnell, of the Literary Associa•
tion of lho Friends of the Poles, and Major C. Szal-
czewski, the secretary to the association, appeared with
a petition, requesting the use of the Guildhall on some
day after the 9th of November, for a ball and other en-
tertainments on behalf of the Distressed Poles. It
stated that although, since 1844, when the last ball was
given kr their benefit, the number of the refugees had
somewhat diminished, their sufferings had received but
little mitigation, and that the Government of that un-
fortunate country were formerly in the most cruel
system of oppression.
Upon the motion of Deputy PEACOCK, seconded by
Mr. HoLT, the prayer of the petition was granted by the
unanimous vote of the Court.
Lord DUDLEY STUART said, that as he knew the
Court had business of great importance to transact, he
would not trespass upon their time by any lengthened
observations. He thanked them in the name of the
Association of the Refugees, and of the whole nation of
Poland, and he would merely add that the Court must
form some idea of the service they were rendering, when
he assured them that in no one year since the commence.
ment of the atrocious subjugation of Poland had that
most unhappy country been subjected to more biting op-
pressions than in that which was aproaching to its close.
GRAND LINE uP CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

Mr. R. L. JONES rose to present the report of the
Improvement Committee. Ile stated that he had fre-
quently had the gratification of presenting reports rela-
tive to improvements in which Government lent their
aid, by sanctioning a tax upon coals, and giving their
powerful advocacy and authority as those improvements
advanced. In the present instance, however, he had to
perform a task imposed upon him by the extraordinary
liberality of the Corporation, in consequence of their
vote of 20,0001. per annum, to aceotnpli,ill a series of im-
provements worthy of the exalted eharacter of the City
of London.—(Hear, hear.) There were many points
to which different interests and tastes directed indivi-
duate as requiring more immediate change, and the
Committee had been diligently occupied iu selecting the
locality which pressed most for improvement as that
with which the work of improvement should begin.—
(Hear, hear.) They had come to the determination,
in accordance with the principle thus laid down,
to recommend the formation of a street from the com-
mencement of Cannon-street, at the corner of King
William-street to the south side of Stßaurs-churchyard.
It was true the line would not comprehend
street, but it would, by cutting through several narrow
Watling-
streets and lanes of no comparative value, completely
relieve that thoroughfare from the enormous traffic which
made it dangerous to passengers. It might be expected
that, as was the case with the London-bridge improve-
meats, complaints, would pour in against any project of
improvement. The Committee had taken infinite pains

to guard the public and the private interests, as far as
was practicable on a scale of extensive change.—(Hear,
hear.) It might be expected that there would be consi-
derable difference of opinion as to the place at which
the improvement was to begin. It was not to be for-
gotten that in the great continental cities the widest ap-
proaches were uniformly made in the immediate neigh-
bourhood of the great markets. Now, :let any one look
to Leadenhall market, with its vast trade, and say
whether it was not necessary to establish increased faci-
lities for the transit to the west-end. The traffic from
the docks, immense as it was, required a capacious out-
let ; and there were other causes operating to show that
the selection of the spot recommended for the beginning
of the alterations, by effecting a relief to all the crowd( d
streets from Tower-hill to St. Paul's-churchyard, was the
most advisable. He was led to believe that the Govern-
ment, upon seeing the Corporation proceeding in such
a spirit, would go on with the projected improvements in
the neighbourhood of the Tower.—(Hear, hear.) The
Committee knew that the improvement would
require several years for its completion, and that
the sum of money would be considerable ; but
they at present were for confining the operations from
Cannon-street to Queen -street, and from Queen-street
from St. Thomas Apostle to Thames-street. The ex-
pense of the whole line was estimated by the clerk of the
works at 530,0001., but that part of the line which lie
had pointed out as the limit of their immediate oi era
tions would cost (as our reporter understood blr. Jones's
rapid speech), about 240,0001. or 250,0001. Mr. Jones
concluded by stating, that as the works proceeded he
entertained not the least doubt as to the practicability of
applying to another source of revenue.—(Cheers.)
The report, of which the following are the material
portions, was then read :
"We have proceeded, from time to time, in the consi-
deration of such improvements, to be recommended to be
effected within this city generally, as appeared to us ex-
pedient, and, after due deliberation, are of opinion, that
the most desirable line to be carried out in the first in-
stance, will be that commencing from Cannon-street
(King William-street), to the south side of St. Paul's-
churchyard, including the proposed widening of
Queen-street from the south side of St. Thomas Apostle
to Upper Thames-street, as affording immediate relief to
the present crowded state of the metropolis, and the ex-
pense of which is estimated by the clerk of the works
at 530,0001., after deducting the value of the building
frontages ; and we submit the same to this Honourable
Court accordingly, and that we may be authorised to
take the proper steps for an application to Parliament
in the ensuing session, for carrying as much of the said
line into execution as may be deemed most expedient ;
and for their further information, we have annexed
hereto a report from Mr. Scott, principal clerk of the
Chamberlain, showing the amount which can he raised
upon the credit of the before-mentioned sum of 20,000/.
per annum, to be discharged either in 20 or 30 years.
" We further certify that we have various other lines
of improvement under consideration, but are not at pre-
sent prepared to report thereon.
" We beg further to certify, that in consequence of the
standing orders of Government with respect to private
Bills having been materially altered, it is requisite that
any plans for improvements in London should be agreed
upon as soon as convenient, and that the lists of the
owners and occupiers of the property required to be
taken should be prepared by the end of the present
month at the latest.
" R. L. Jones, W. Lawrence, John King, John Dixon,
B. Bower, J. C. Prior, W. A. Peacock, 11. Burn,
J. Low E. Harrison, E. Hickson, J. Hartley, R.
Taylor, H. L. Taylor, G. Aitchison, J. G. Cone."
Mr. ANDERTON said it would occasion a great dirni
nution of expense, as well as great addition of con-
venience, if the Court would go to Parliament for large
sums in cases of public improvement. In Liverpool and
other extensive places of business, it was the practice
never to go to Parliament except for a sum of money
embracing all the contingent expenses. It was but
reasonable, too, to expect that the exact line should be
scheduled.

Mr. IL L. JONES said that in Liverpool, and in other
places referred to, the ground was open, very unlike that
in the heart of the City of London. The Committee
had, upon the subject of scheduling the various proper.
ties within the line, considered the injury which might
result in unhinging the minds of people.
Mr. NORRIS was by no means satisfied with the re-
port, which did not contain the full information which
the Court had a right to expect. lie apprehended that
the plan would, after costing pobably upwards of a mil-
lion, be nothing more than a deformity after all. The line
would be broken, and churches and church-yards would
be interfered with, and the portion proposed to be at
once carried out would be quite useless and absurd. It
was rather too bad that the Committee should have been
two years occupied in coming to a conclusion, and then
demand that in two minutes the Court should agrt e
in their views.—(hear, hear.) He wished to have the
constituency informed of the true nature of the proposed
alterations, and for that purpose he should propose an
amendment, t the effect that all the houses to be affected
in each street in the line should be particularised, &c.
Mr. IfooLE seconded the amendment.
Mr. ASUURST, and several others of the Committe
strongly advocated the whole of the recommendations in
the report.

lir. DE JERSEY said the plth of the arqurneut in
favour of the report was the want of time. ° It was
said that if application was not made at the present
moment there must be a postponement for a year. That
was a fallacy. After a long deliberation, the Council
at that late hour for the first time submitted thcir views
in a matter involving an expenditure of 300,0001., and
asked for the hurried msent of the Court.—(l fear, hear.)
The improvement proposed would certainly be a great
one, but there were others equally s.). lie supported
the amendment.

Mr. R. L. JoNEs said the Committee were unavoidably
delayed till the present moment by the extent of the
labour which the clerk of the works had had t) perform
in making estimates.
_ _

Mr. PRENDERGAST said that like other members he
hal had no opportunity of seeing. or being informed, of
the merits of the plan recommend. Ile had great con-
fidence in the Committee, but they had shown no confi-
dence in the Court. They offered at that late period
Hobson's choice, that particular sch(me or nailing; for
if it were refected, there was no time fur going to Par-
liament. Ile urged that the report should he sent back
to the Committee.—(Hear, hear.)
After some further discussion, Mr. R. L. JONES re-
plied, and the amendment was lost.
The report waa then agreed to, and the Parliamentary
notices were ordered to be given accordingly.
The Court adjourned at a late hour.

TRINIDAD GREAT EASTERN AND
WESTERN RAILWAY.
A meeting of the shareholders in this undertaking was
called, for one o'clock yesterday, at the King's Head,
Poultry, to consider the best means to be adopted to
compel the directors to fulfil their promise, to return the
deposits. It was stated that important information
would be laid before the meeting, the advertisement for
which was signed by Mr. Stafford, solicitor, Bucking-
ham-street. At the appointed hour but a small number
of persons were present.
Mr. STAFFORD explained that he attached his name
to the advertisement calling the meeting at the neatest
of a committee of shareholders, which was appoint d at
a meeting of the shareholders on the 10th of Sept( nber
last at th Hall of Commerce, for the purpose of it- mir-
ing into the original concoction of the company. At
that meeting hopes were held out to the sharehoi lers,
that their deposits would be returned, but up to th 4 pro-
sent moment so desirable a communication had not tken
place. The committee so appointed found that the
scheme was duly registered on the 19th of Septet tber,
1845, the ostensible promoters being Horatio Using,
described of Chester-street, Belgrave-square, and
John Evans, of No. 6, Queen-street, Golden-
square. A prospectus was got up, and issued, but
it did not meet with the success which its origina-
tors seemed to have anticipated, and on the 10th
of February an advertisement appeared in the-news-
paper, offering to return the whole of the deposits (ss.
a share having been paid on the shares taken up), and
offering the option of transferring the shares to another
company then in the course of projection. This gave a
great stimulus to the shares, as those who held them
were anxious to get their rniney back again ; they
continued to hold them. On the 11 th of May
another advertisement appeared, signed by four gentle-
men, declaring that from that time they ceased to
be in any way connected with the company. On the
15th of the same month another advertisement appeared,
in which the directors informed the shareholders th,t,
they were waiting for the arrival of the managing
director from Trinidad, and that on his arrival the
promise, with respect to the return of the depesits„
would be carried out in a few days. Afterwards an adver-
tisement appeared, signed, Gilts Hall, Chairman, which
stated that the advertisement referred to was inserted
without the knowledge or consent of the directors. It
appeared that a Mr. Garrard was concerned with Mr.
Utting in getting up the proposed undertaking, and that
it originated in a meeting which was held in the
Queen's Bench prison: there it was concocted, and
through the recommendation of another party a Mr.
Lewis was named as solicitor to the undertaking, and it
seemed they then advertised for a secretary, and ap-
pointed a Mr. Bristow to that important post, the con-
dition being that he should lodge 2001. in their hands,
which he did. They afterwards found it convenient to
borrow a further 1001. from him, which was applied to
the expenses incidental to the projection of the railway.
It seemed from information which had been acquired
that there was great reason to believe that a vast num
ber of shares were not issued in the ordinary course of
allotment upon the appointment of parties, but, finding
there was not a large demand, they adopted the ruse of
inserting an advertisement offering to return the deposits
for the purpose of making the shares marketable with the
public, and they had it from good authority that their
secretary was required to prepare a certain number of
shares, The scrip was then taken by a clerk to some
parties whose names he (Mr. Stafford) was in possession
of, but which he would not venture to mention, who
were at that time confined in the Queen's Bench, and
whose names appeared as directors of this undertaking;
and it was in that situation that Ow appended their
names to this portion of the scrip. The shares were
then brought into the market, and on the faith of the ad-
vertisements respecting the deposits they fetched a con-
siderable sum. The period had gone by when the
operations of the company could be renewed with any
probability of success, because they had not renewed
the registration within 12 months. Latterly the parties
at the offices of the company had shown some sign
of animation, and had promised that the scheme should
be again registered, but all they were doing was quite
illegal. Even so recently as the 17th of September an
advertisement appeared, stating that the surveys and
estimates had not been received from Trinidad, and that
" further particulars" would be announced in a few days,
but none had yet appeared. It appeared doubtful whe-
ther criminal, instead of civil proceedings, ought not to
be taken against the parties ; but as it was a delicate

subject he would not further allude to it. The commit-
tee had a large number of shares, and were naturally
anxious to get back their money, or to obtain that re-
dress which the laws of the country might afford them.
He did not think, however, that the directors would give
the shareholders any satisfaction. They had got their
scheme inserted in the new Stock Exchange List, and
their shares quoted at a price at which those who had paid
ss. per share would perhaps like to buy them—namely,
ninepence. The object of the meeting simply was to
enable the shareholders to unite and form a committee
to prosecute their rights, and he could not do better than
suggest that they should appoint a chairman, in order
to give effect to any proposition which might be en-
trusted to them.

Dr. BARRY was then called to the chair. He said it
would be necessary to raise a subscription for the pur.
pose of taking such steps as their solicitor might advise
for the purpose of comp'slling the parties to return the
deposits.
A committee, consisting of the Chairman, Messrs.
Murchison, Brough, Levy, and Coates, was then ap-
pointed, to take such steps as they might think proper
to carry out t)-,e wishes of the shareholders.
A resolutin calling upon the shareholders to contri-
bute towards the expenses was also passed after some
discussion, and the meeting separated.

LYNN AND DEREHAM RAILWAY

COMPANY.

A special general meeting of the shareholders and pro-
prietors of this railway took place yesterday, at the Com-
rany's-offices, Millbank-street, Westminster, for the pur-
pose of authorising the borrowing by mortgage or bond
the sum of 90,0001., for the purpose of carrying or. the
undertaking.

W. EVEIARD, Esq., took the chair shortly after two
o'clock, and, after stating the object of the meeting, he
proposed the following resolution, which was unani-
mously agreed to:—" That the directors be and they are
hereby authorised and empowered to borrow upon
mortgage or bond, at such rate of interest, not exceeding
51. per cent, per annum, and for such periods as they shall
think fit, the whole or any part of the sum of 90,0001.,
which the company is by their Act of Incorporation
authorised and empowered to borrow."
The CHAIRMAN, in answer to the question of a pro-
prietor, stated that the first part of the line, from Lynn
to Narborough, had been advertised to be opened on
Tuesday next, which he had no douht would take place.
(Hear, hear.) The second part of the line, from Lynn
to Swaffham, was going on as well as could be wished,
and he thought that there was very little doubt that the
whole line would be opened at Midsummer. The direc-
tors were ready now to put out the whole contract from
Swaffham to Dereham.

Thanks were then voted to the chairman and directors
for the course they had pursued on behalf of the com-
pany, and the meeting then broke up.
The CHAIRMAN, in returning thanks, stated that the
last call that had been made of the directors had been
most liberally responded to by the proprietors.