The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-01 00:00:00

Sl7 N FEB RUARN-
1, 1848,

The directors, however, were disposed to construe the
agreement as liberally as possible, and to extend the
dividend to the Bury shareholders as soon as the line
should be completed down to Liverpool. With
respect to the progress of the works, he could say
that no unnecessary delay had taken place. The state
of the times had compelled the directors to proceed
cautiously with works which, in different circum-
stances, the directors would have pushed on with greater
expedition. But the delay which had taken place had
occurred in the winter, and therefore it was not of
much consequence to the shareholders. The same
delay would certainly have occurred if the Bury
Company had been an independent body. At the ap-
proaching half-yearly meeting of the Lancashire and
Yorkshire Company, the directors would be prepared
to state in detail the plan which they intended to adopt
with respect to the Bury shareholders.
Mr. KYNASToN said he intended to move an adjourn-
ment. .

The CHAIRMAN said it could not be entertained, as
this was the last day the meeting could be legally heW.
Mr. K.INISTON said that certain rumours were
afloat injurious to the interests of the company. He
would be glad in the first place to know the offer
which Mr. Havvkshaw had made for the Preston and
Wyre contract. He had no personal feeling in this
matter bat he thought that in these times high paid
officials ought, if they could, to be dispensed with.
Mr. Paws doubted whether the money for the
proposed extension could be raised in the present state
of the share market.
The CHAIRMAN said the funds would come from
the Manchester and Leeds Company. Manchester
and Leeds Extension Stock was not to be applied to
one purpose only, but to others. Several of the ex-
tensions would be ready for opening shortly, and
then the shareholdets would come into dividend.
The proposed extension into Liverpool would be
expensive, in consequence of its going through build-
ing property—it would be between 300,0001. and
400,0001. There was at present a gloom over rail-
way property, but that was owing to the proceedings
of the last two years, and if directors and share-
holders proceeded harmoniously together now, he
believed that gloom would soon wear away. The
Amalgamated Lancashire and Yorkshire Com-
pany had about 233 miles of railway to make,
and they were now concentrating their energies
upon about 33 miles. The capital of the
Lancashire and Yorkshire Company was 5,200,0001.,
and they had actually expended 7,500,0001. Their
loans were 1,700,0001., and therefore they had good
security for any further loans. The Hon. Gentleman
then proceeded to show the advantages which the
company offered as security for the loan of money,
contending that the security was as substantial as that
of the public funds.
In the course of a discussion which followed, it ap-
peared that Mr. llawkshaw's salary had been reduced
from 5,0001. to 2,500/. a-year.
Mr. HEALD, M.P., said he was so satisfied with
the stability of this company, that he would be ready
to join other capitalists, and take the mortgage bonds
out of the hands of the present holders if they would
relinquish them.
The motion of the approval of the Bill having been
put, the votes were—For the extensions, 88,139 ;
against it, 7,314 ; majority, 80,825.
Thanks to the chairman and directors terminated
the meeting.
It was stated in the course of the meeting that the
directors had relinquished their remuneration of 3,5001.
a-year.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT IN
EUSTON-SQUARE.
The adjourned inquest upon James Hickey and
Charles Gedge, the last two sufferers by the accident
at the London and North-Western Railway Station
on the morning of the 6th ult., was held before
Wakley, M.P., in one of the parcel-rooms at-
tached to the station. Several scientific persons were
present. Among them were Mr. Hoskins, who
attended at the request of the Woods and Forests ;
Mr. Tite and Mr. Blore,
_the eminent architects,
attended at the request of Mr. Philip Hardwick, the
architect to the railway company, under whose direc-
tion the building which had fallen was being erected.
Mr. William Cubitt, M.P., the contractor for the
works, was present throughout the proceedings.
The evidence wholly went to ascertain the cause of
the accident.
The first witness was Mr. Hardwick himself, who
was examined at considerable length. He described
the construction of the works as required by the
specification under which Messrs. Cubitt had con-
tracted for their execution, aid said he was satisfied
the fall of the buildings had not been occasioned by
any flaw, either in the concrete upon which they
rested, or the foundation. His first impression, he
candidly confessed, after the accident, was that in
consequence of the work having been proceeded with as
fast as it could be, there had not been time for the
cement of the columns to set, so that it was entirely
green work. The best Roman cement was used.
They were built " brick-on-edge," a common con-
struction. On examining the fragments after the ac-
cident he found some parts in which the cement had
not set. Since this he had felt the probability was
that the work might in some degree have been affected
by the movement of the scaffolding.
Mr. Cubitt, M.P., was the next witness, and after
describing the qualities of the materials used, he said
he had not been able to form an opinion as to the
cause of the accident, but he did not think the scaf-
folding had anything to do with it. The columns
would have been strong enough to bear the weights
intended for them. He attributed the accident to the
state of the atmosphere not permitting the cement to
get into the state of stone as soon as was expected.
Robert Butterwick, foreman to Messrs. Cubitt,
proved that the work was built with due care, and
that none of the men complained either of the mate-
rials or of the building going on too quick.
James Stephenson, foreman of the bricklayers em-
ployed on the work, said in his opinion the pedestals
had given way a little, and so brought the columns
down.
Several other witnesses were examined, and then
Mr. Tite was examined. This gentleman, on his
examination of the place, and the bearing of the
evidence, said, in his opinion the work had been car-
ried up rather rapidly in what was very wet weather,
consequently the brickwork and mortar had " set"
insufficiently. He conceived the pedestal had given
way first, because the edge of it was cut off angle-
ways, as if the column had slipped off. The cause of
this was the inequality of the pressure upon the inner
column produced by the men lengthening the scaf-
folding at a greater leverage. Nobody could be
blamed for it, and as to ithe columns being built
" brick on edge," he was satisfied it was advanta-
geous.
Mr. Edward Blore said he entirely concurred in
opinion with Mr. Tite, that the fall had been occa-
sioned by some motion in the upper part of the
scaffolding, by which undue pressure was thrown
upon the inner column. There was not the least
inherent danger in the structure itself, and he should
not have anticipated any accident himself.
The inquest was then ajourned till Thursday, by
which day Mr. Hoskins, who took an active part in
the inquiry, said he would be prepared with a written
opinion upon the cause of the accident.

COWES, SATURDAY, JAN. 29.-05BM:111M HOUSE. 1
—Our readers are aware that for some time past the
works on her Majesty's estate in this island. have been •
rapidly progressing. The old mansion, known hitherto
as Osborne House, has, since the departure of the Court,
been taken down, and nut a vestige of the former build-
ing remains. The ground has been excavated, and
prepared for the foundation of what will be the front
elevation ; and we learn that his Royal Highness Prince
Albert, and probably accompanied by her Majesty, will
pay a short visit next week for the purpose of laying the
foundation stone. Tho present intended elevation will
be connected with the extensive building lately erected
in the rear, and when the former is complete, will form
the main building or body of the now Osborne House.
The West wing, on which is the tower, has been inha-
bited for some time past by the Royal family, and will
also be connected by a corridor to the main building;
and when the other intended wing and clock-tower are
erected, the whole will be one of the handsomest ma-
rine mansions in the kingdom, and worthy the habita-
tien of the sovereign and the Court during their frequent
sojourn. The building is iu the Palazzo, or Italian and
Grecian styles.—Humpshire Advertiser.
--The
TILE
TIIE " IRON DUKE'S" EPISTOLARX S
"sayings and doings" of his Grace the D,ake of Welling-
ton. have, of late, excited much attention ; more particu-
larly his private correspondence. Wu have, by the
kindness of a friend, just seen two autograph letters of
this distinguished nobleman, which had been received
by him, in one of which is exhibited his attention to
punctuality, in the other, which we transcribe, his per-
tinent style of reply; "Tho Duke o Wellington pre-
sents his compliments to Mr. 8., and has received his
letter of the 11th inst. It will save Mr, B. a great deal
of anxiety and trouble if he will not believe half, and,
in the particular subject to which he r afers, not one word
of what he reads in the newspapers respecting the Duke
and his intentions."—Norfolk News.
The United States mail steam-ship Washington,
having encountered heavy gales and much boisterous
weather on her outward voyage from Southampton to
New York, was compelled to put into Halifax on the
10th ult. for a fresh supply of cosi, and proceeded to
New York on the 13th; which information serves to
correct various misstatements. and erroneous reports
respecting alleged damages of machinery, B‘c., as sus-
tained by said steamer.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, MONDAY.—The Meander, 44, Cap-
tain the Hon. H. Keppel, will sail to-morrow, if pos-
sible, for the Cape of Good Hope direct, en route to
Singapore and Borneo, taking the latest news from
England to the former place and dispatches from the
Government. Mr. Brooke, the Raja of Sarawak, and
suite arrived this afternoon and will embark to-
morrow. The Meander has been visited by some most
distinguished officers and personages since she arrived
here ; she is a very handsome-looking vessel, and is
fitted with all the ♦ery latest improvements incidental
to active service. During her stay at Spithead slue
has been riding at single anchor, and experienced
some very heavy weather. Owing to the paucity of
anchors in the dockyard on Porter's plan, she was
supplied only on the eve of her departure from
Sheerness with this valuable appliance ; its having
been specially demanded of the Admiralty by an
officer of Captain Keppel's experience speaks highly
in its favour.

The Meander takes out the following personages :
Mr. Brooke, Raja of Sarawak; Mr. William Napier,
Lieutenant Governor of the island of Labuan ; Mrs.
Napier, Miss Napier, the two children ; Mr. St. John,
Regiment,
private secretary to Mr. Brooke ; Mr. Low, Govern-
ment secretary to the island of Labuan ; Mr. Scott,
engineer and surveyor of public works to the island;
Lieutenant Hosken, R.N., postmaster of Labuan ;
Mr. Gri w
thepty nawnoaenr,
)d, of t
he
postmasterroom ;
g 8 Lieutenantt ohf Hong-Kong, K
Patonon
quarteredg ,
(son whoo ta
sgoesi
Sir
out
Henryt
Calcutta, as the guest of Captain Keppel; and the
lion. Granville Egerton, naval cadet, to join the Ver-
non, 50, flag-ship on the East India and China station.
The Raja was most hospitably received by the
Commander-in-Chief, who invited the following
distinguished party to meet his Highness
Ogle, the Hon. Mrs. Keppel, Rear-Admiral Sir
Thomas Cochrane, C.B. ,_• Rear-Admiral Prescott,
C. 8.; Captain Mandy, R.N. ; Captab the Hon. H.
Keppel, R.N.; Mr. Napier, Mr. St. John, Flag-
Lieutenant Cochran, and Captain Ogle, R.N.
Thr Firefly steam-sloop, Lieutenant-Commander
Ponsonby, was paid advance to-day, and will leave
to-morrow for the cost of Africa station, taking mails
and supernumeraries, together with dispatches for the
Queen Dowager at Madeira, and the Commander-in-
Chief on the African station, Commodore Sir Charles
Hotham, K.C.B.

The promotions under given, which were made by
the Admiralty this day, will, we are convinced, give
much satisfaction. Commander Robert Sharpe is a
lieutenant of 1815, and a commander of 1826, a ser-
viceable and gallant officer, lately commanding the
Scylla. He has seen much service on the coast of
Portugal in bygone disturbances, and was for his
gallantry and support created a Knight of the Tower
and Sword. Commander Sharpe heads the list of the
promoted, and Lieutenant Henry Need, the gallant
First-Lieutenant of the Terrible steam-frigate, con-
cludes it. Of this latter officer's merits the public
are well aware. His last praiseworthy act was saving
the life of a fellow creature from drowning, a few
days before the Terrible left this port for Lisbon and
Malta. Of the other officers we regret we know
nothing, and the explanatory navy list gives us but
little assistance. They are all deservedly advanced,
however, and we heartily congratulate them.
It will be seen also by the appointments that Cap-
tain Sir James Clarke Ross (1834) is this evening
officially charged with the expedition to search for
Sir John Franklin and his lost voyagers. Sir James
is appointed to the Enterprise, a ship purchased of
\Vigram and Green, of Blackwell.