The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-21 00:00:00

STRAND THEATRE.

The new management of this theatre by Mr. Oxberry
continues to improve in public favour, the entertain-
IrTnts are now well selected, and put upon toe stage
with care and judgment, and if the same pains be taken
with the forthcoming novelties as has been with the
past,. success and a full treasury must be certain. The
performances on Saturday evening commenced with the
romantic drama of The Denouncer, in which Mr. E.
Laws—an excellent Actor—sustained the part of Claude
l)unaude witk much ability. The character of Victo-
rine was allotted to Miss Love, who, in the acting of the
part evinced talent of a high order. Then followed a
new and very clever and burlesque opera, by the author
of the Norma, which was produced some time ago at the
Adelphi, entitled Lucy of Lammermoor, the leading in-
cidents of the romance are adhered to very strictly, and
the burlesque is every evening hailed with louap-
plause.
The acting of Miss E. Terry, as the broken
her
hearted Lucy, was the very cream of burlesque,
manner of singing the parodies was excelletit. °ober!),
was the Colonel Ashton, whose rich deep voice told with.
great effect in the different pieces of concerted music
allotted to the part ; Edgar of Ravenswood found an
efficient representative in that excellent actor Yarnold
Rogerson as Lockhart was very gcod. The entertain-
ments concluded with the admired comedietta of A
Roland for an Oliver, in which Miss Egan appeared as
Maria. Miss Jane Coleman mado a pretty and interest-
ing Mrs. Selbourne. A beautiful little ballad, composed
by Lee, was sung by this young lady very sweetly, and
was honoured by an encore. Millie. Louise Blanche
appeared in the course of the evening in one of her
fascinating pas. The house was well attended.

The Right Hon. the Speaker of the House of
Commons gave his second Parliamentary dinner on Sa-
turday evening, at his temporary official iesidence in
Eaton-square.
His Excellency Lord Howard de Walden, the
British Minister at the Court of Belgium, arrived in
Loudon on Thursday night, from Brussels, on a short
leave of absence.
His Excellency Sir Stratford Canning leaves town
this week, accompanied by Lady Canning and daughters,
for Constantinople, to resume his diplomatic functions
as Ambassador to the Sublime Porte. Lord Cowley.
returns to England within a month after the arrival of
Sir Stratford.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston gave a grand
entertainment on Saturday last, at their mansion in
Carlton-gardens.

- -
RAILWAY INTEE.LIGENCE.
NOR EII-WESTERN RAILWAY.
The half-‘ early mk eaing of this company was held on
Friday, at twelve e'clocle, at the Eustoa Hotel, George
Carr Glen, Esq., M.P., in the chair. The large room
was filled to excgss.
After the usual pie liminaries,
The CHAIRMAN addressed the meeting at some length. '
The principal features of his address may be thus
summed up. He said the meeting had been delayed
owing to the illness of his Hon. Friend Mr. Creed, and '
from the immense labour of obtaining the accounts from
the various parties among whom they were spread into
one focus, to a much later period than any of its prede- .
cessors. Ho denied that they had converted floating
into fixed capital, or that the dividends were paid
out of anything but the legitimate receipts, though
statements to the contrary had been most in-
dustriously circulated. They had found it ab-
solutely necessary to purchase streets and large
plots of land in order to erect warehouses and sta-
tions, and hence their expenses had been materially
increased ; but if they had double the room they had at
present, he assured them that they would not have too
much. It was utterly impossible to close the capital
account, as some of the proprietors seemed to
suppose, on account of new lines, and from various
other circumstances, which they must be aware kept it
constantly open. The replacing of the old rails, as they
wore out, by heavier ones, had received the serious con-
sideration of the company. This had been done to a
great extent, and the cost was charged against revenue.
The same remark applied to the new engines that
were required from time to time, as they were
paid for out of revenue.—(Hear, hear.) The total
income for the half-year had been 1,130,1291..05. ld.,
showing an increase of 38,0001. over the preceding half
year ; whieh arose principally from the goods and coal
traffic, wieich traffic had fully answered the expectations
the directors had formed.—(Hear.) In consequence of
the commercial depression the general stagnation that
pre.eailed in some of the manufacturing districts had
led to a diminution of their traffic as contrasted
`with that period when the railway mania
caused engineers, solicitors, and assistants, to fly all
over the country; but it was rather more than within
100/. of the corresponding period of the previous year,
when there was no fluctuating cause, like that he had
mentioned, to disturb it.—(Hear, hear.) They had
great reason to complain of the amount of rates
charged upon the railway. They amounted to no
less a sum than 30,0001. for the half-year,
showing an increase of 4,5001. on the half-
year ; and he hoped if they did not get any relief
from Parliament, that they would be able to protect
their interests• in the courts of of law, for persons in the
country were in the habit of levying the most enor-
mous rates upon the railway, simply because they
thought it would pay anything.—(Hear.) As prudent
men, they thought that the dividend should not exceed
four per cent.—(Hear) The directors suggested that
15,0001. a year should be set apart to meet the expense
of relaying the rails and other contingencies.—(Hear,
hear.) Without reserve he wished to state that
at that moment they were not engaged in any
arrangements for amalgamations, for leasing, or
in any proceedings of the kind, which would add to their
liabilities in any way.—(Hear, hear.) With the excep-
tion of a small colliery branch at Coventry, which they
were not required to make immediately—not for a year
or two, if they thought proper—he might state that, in
point of fact, they were not engaged in any Par
li mentary proceedings of their own this year.—(Hear.)
He hoped now that the time had come when expensive
contests between great companies was at an end—
(Cheers.)—and he hoped now that railway companies
would unite for the protection of their mutual interests,
taking care that their interests were cared for in Par-
liament. It was hardly necessary for him to
deny -the absurd rumour that they had entered
into a contract with Messrs. Chaplin and Herne
to run coaches along the old road.—(Laughter.) The
rumour went the 14tath of saying that the line was
about to be closed—(Renewed laughter)—aed he had
even had a letter addressed to him seeking informa-
tion ehether the line was open, and if so it the Kilsby
Tunnel was safe.—(Continued laughter.) Under the
circumstances of the times they had thought
it advisable to defer some of the works
of several of the lines authorised in the last
two sessions, and they would not be pursued without the
most mature consideration.—(Hear, hear.) If Parlia-
ment encouraged direct competition to the extent it had,
he had no hesitation in suing that railways would be-
come a most uncertain source of investment.—(Hear,
hear.) If instead of adopting the system Lord Dal-
housie recommended, Parliament would put all rail-
way companies upon a fair system of fares and
charges, much good would be conferred upon
the proprietors and the public. The power of
railway companies should, therefore, bring their influ•
ence to bear upon the Legislature. If this were done
railway companies would be a sure instead of an unsafe
source of investment. He concluded amidst loud cheers.
Mr. BOOTH then read the report:—
" In meeting the proprietors on the present occasion,
the directors have to report to them the position of the
company, after perhaps the most disastrous period upon
record in our commercial history ; a period of enter-
prise, speculation, and excitement, having been followed
by its natural consequence, a season of extreme stag-
nation and unprecedented difficulties.
" As regards the extent of the railway traffic, the
effect has, so far, been less seriously manifested than
might have been expected. The passenger traffic, not-
withstanding the general depression, has equalled that
of the corresponding period of last year ; and both in
general merchandise and coal, the gross receipts have
exhibited a considerable increase.
" The proprietors are aware that in the merchandise
eepat trnent the directors have carried into effect, on the
southern division of the line, that system of operations
which for a long time, has been the prevailing policy in
the north, of employing no intermediate agent between
the company and the public; in feet, of being themselves
the carriers on their own line. The directors up to the
present time have every reason to be satisfied with the
result; and they attribute the favourable position of this
branch of their busineess, in part, at least, to the im-
proved system of working; a system which has been
introduced under many disadvantages, and certainly at
an unfavourable season in reference to the recent mone-
tary and commercial crisis.
" The attention of the proprietors'has been called, on
previous occasions, to the fact, that at the reduced rates
of conveyance now prevailing, a much larger number of
passengers, and a greater w eight of merchandise must
be carried, to produce the same gross receipts, than
was formerly the case ; while at the same time an
increased ratio of disbursements is the obvious ten
dency. Larger stations, and a greater number of
servants, more locomotive engines, carriages, and
waggons, and the repair of all these, are the necessary
consequence. Under these circninstances the directors
consider that they have reason to be well satisfied with
the general result of the last half-year's working, as
exhibited in the accounts now laid before the proprietors.
The per centage of working charges on the receipts,
exclusive of Government and parish taxes, is 331 per
cent.
" The increased wear and tear of the rails, owing to
the more rapid speed of the trains and to the greater
weight of the engines, has been very carefully investi-
gated by the company's officers, and the result has been
to satisfy the Board that, as a matter of prudence, it is
desirable periodically to set aside a Depreciation Fund
to meet the expense attending a gradual relaying of the
whole line. A sum of 10,0001 will be found to be ap-
propriated for this purpose in the current half-year.
" It is satisfactory to the directors to be enabled to
add that the whole of the tunnels, and the way and works
of the line, are in perfect order.
" In further pursuance of this policy, by which the
company has heretofore been guided, the proprietors
will perceive that a large sum has been appro-
priated to renew the locomotive engine and
carriage stock as gradually worn out. The direc
tors rely on the full concurrence of the proprietors
in this proceeding ; and at the same time they are happy
to report to them that the whole moving plant of every
kind is in the most complete and satisfactory state.
They believe that the expediency of a timely and ade-
quate provision for the maintenance and renewal of
stock—as a question affecting all railways, has not
generally been sufficiently considered.
" The directors are happy to inform the meeting,
that they have no intention to apply to Parliament for
any new lines in the present session, With the exception
of two short branches to a coal field near Coventry, and
cost of
the estimatedwhich is 26,0001. They have
requested from the Commissioners
l of Railways, under
the provision of the Act
of
aatsession, an extension
of last
of time for the purchase in all cases where
it has appeared to be beneficial' to tho company
to adopt that course. And in referencear to certain of the
' new lines, for which Acts of
Parliament have been
obtained, but in the construction ef which little or no
outlay has taken place, the directors will take into
their serious consideration the course which it may be
desirable to pursue.
" The opening of the Chester and Holyhead Railway
has been retarded longer than was anticipated at the
date of the last half-yearly meeting. The works, how-
ever, have proceeded steadily, and without accident
towards their completion ; and the opening of the line
froth Chester to Bangor, it is expected, will take place in
the ensuing spring.
" The Caledonian Railway in which this company are
interested was opened throughout, to Edinburgh and
Glasgow, en the 15th instant, thus completing the rail-
way communication by the west coast line betn een
London and the north.
"'the Trent Valley Railway was opened throughout,
both tor goods and passengers, on the Ist of December
last.
"Owing to the imperfect consolidation of the new lire
of way, and to the unfavourable weather, for some time
afterrithe opening, the journeys were performed with less
arity than along the old route by Birmingham.
Itotersneeydiffieulties, however, no longer exist, and the
With the betweene* London and the North is now performed
valley
Rairred regularity. The opening of the Trent
require d f.,:Pt);:eand the new Post-office arrangements
a favourable
ef the mails by that line,
was considered
uniformity b t opportunity for introducing
e between
thieiailway and Post-office time ;
and for regulatin expression of all local time, as
far as practicablegin eon ormity with the longitude' of
Greenwich. In this arram.ement e the principal railway
p have concurred; and the public authorities of
ion with the great
the most impOrtant towns in, connexion
Manchester, Birmingham,
lines of railway (Liverpool
the public
Leeds, &c. &c.), taking into consideration
and income.
to
convenience of one common standanretriL
regulate the appointments of a commercial aY
Live people, cheerfully acquiesced in the views of
of
railway companies, thereby assisting them most
matethrei
ally to accomplish the desired alteration, without either
public or privute inconvenience.
" From the statement of the half-year's accounts it
will be mu that the net proceeds, after deducting