The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-04 00:00:00

DRUMPELLER.

The half-yearly meeting was held on Wednesday at
Glasgow; Mr. Leadbetter in the chair.
The report recommended a short extension of the
line southwards, and the extension of branches to the
adjacent coal pits.
The CHAIRMAN said that the directors had been en-
deavouring to make arrangements with the Monkland
Canal Company respecting the traffic, in which they
hoped to succeed. The directors could not recommend
a dividend at present ; they thought if the extensions
were carried out, a dividend of 7 per cent. might be
realised.

After the adoption of the report tho meeting
separated.

DUBLIN AND BELFAST JUNCTION.

Tho half-yearly meeting of this company was held on
Wednesday, at Dublin; Mr. J. Barlow in the chair.

The report stated that the line from Drogheda to
Dundalk would have been opened on the sth of August
had it not been for the flood carrying away the bridge
near Dunbar, and that a delay of some weeks must
elapse before the line can be opened. That
the cost of this portion, for a single line, with land,
earthworks, and bridges for a double line, in-
eluding working stock, &c., was estimated not to ex-
ceed 10,0001. per mile. That the Navan branch would
be finished in about two months, when it would be handed
over to the Dublin and Drogheda Company, pursuant to
agreement. The receipts on calls during the half-year
ending June 30, amounted to 105,0431, of which 17,3151.
belonged to the arrears due in December last; and the
expenditure during the same period amounted to
115,020/. Through the exertions of the directors the
arrears were gradually diminishing. The directors
being desirous of completinr, the line to Portadown ap-
plied in April last to the Government for assistance by
loan, proffering ample security, which was not acceded
to. The extreme severity of the past summer, and the
apprehensions entertained of the crops, made it impera-
tive on them again to solicit that aid, which, if granted,
would enable them to give daily employment to thou-
sands of labourers upon the earthworks, which have,
as yet, been scarcely commenced. That the company
will soon be in a position to exercise its borrowing
powers.

The CHAIRMAN stated, that the reply of Lord J.
Russell to their application for a loan of 30,0001. was un-
favourable, but it stated that if Parliament should place
at his Lordship's disposal any fund to be expended on
the country their application would be entertained, in
conjunction with the applications of other railway com-
panies.

It was stated that the line from Drogheda to Dundalk
would be opened on the sth instant. That on the amount
called up, about 300,0001., the arrears amounted to
100,0001., that 40,000/. of that belonged to the seventh
call, which was in course of payment. That when the
Navan branch was completed and handed over to the
Dublin and Drogheda Company, the proprietors of the
former would be paid 4 per cent. on their outlay for the
first year, and afterwards Si per cent. per annum.
The report was adopted.
The special meeting was then held, when a resolution
was passed authorising the directors to borrow any sum
not exceeding 316,666/. The meeting then separated.

DUBLIN, DUNDRUM, AND RATHFARNHAM.
The half-yearly meeting of this company was held on
Tuesday at Dublin; Sir G. Preston in the chair.
The report stated, that the directors being in expec-
tation of receiving from the Commissioners of Railways
a grant for an extension of time to purchase land and
complete works, and from the state of the money market
have not proceeded actively with the works. That in
order to preserve the undertaking, the directors must
now proceed to secure the possession of land required for
the line, and have other works completed within the
time limited by their Act. Te enable them to carry this
project into :effect they have no doubt they will be aided
willingly by such of the shareholders as embarked in
the undertaking with the bona fide object of carrying
it out, and whose interests the directors feel bound
to maintain. The accounts for the half-year showed that
1,949/. had been received, and 1,1371. expended, leaving
a balance of 8121. in hand.

The CHAIRMAN having;moved the adoption of the
report,

Mr. KENNEDY moved an amendment, to the effect
that the report was a mockery and delusion.
After a long discussion, the amendment was negatived.
It was understood at the conclusion of the business,
that a deputation from the dissentient shareholders, in-
cluding Mr. Kennedy, should wait upon the directors
and explain their views. It appears that the former are
anxious to abandon the undertaking, and to enable the
directors to discharge all claims on the company and
wind up its affairs.

OPENING OF THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE
BETWEEN NEWCASTLE AND GATESHEAD.
Tuesday last was rendered memorable in the annals
of science and enterprise by the opening of the High
Level Bridge for the conveyance of goods and pas-
sengers across the river Tyne. Not many years ago the
fact of an individual seriously entertaining the thought
of throwing such a bridge over the Tyne, stripped of
the marvellous adjunct of the said bridge being crossed
by a locomotive engine weighing 16 tons, and drawing
nine carriages heavily laden with passengers, was alone
sufficient to suggest the idea that it was time his friends
were looking after him.
The weather was everything that could be wished, and
at two o'clock Mr. G. Hudson, MT., the Chairman of
the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway Company,
arrived at Gateshead; he was accompanied by his son,
Mr. George Hudson, jun., Mr. T. E. Harrison, Mr. N.
Wood, Mr. R. Spoor, Mr. J. J. Wright, &c. They were
met at the station by the right worshipful the Mayor of
Newcastle (Mr. S. Lowrey), the Mayor of Gateshead
(Mr. J. Potts), and a great number of the aldermen and
councillors of those respective corporations, besides many
others of the gentry of Newcastle, Gateshead, North and
South Shields, Sunderland, and other places in the dis-
trict. A train, consisting of nine carriages and a lug-
gage van, and preceded by a powerful engine, was
speedily filled by the party assembled at the station.
One. of the compartments of a first-class carriage was oc-
cupied by a party of ladies. Another carriage was oc-
cupied by the band of Messrs. Hawks and Crawshay.
At half-past two o'clock the train started, and, upon en-
tering the bridge, was greeted with a loud discharge of
artillery from the Castle and various other places. The
bells of St. Nicholas then commenced a merry peal, and
the most deafening cheers were given by the congregated
thousands on every side, as the train smoothly and quietly,
at a moderately quick pace, and without the slightest inter-
ruption or accident, glided from Durham to Northumber-
land. The train, in traversing every portion of the
immense viadact on the north side, both westward and
eastward, afforded the passengers a view of the ancient
town of Newcastle at once novel and extensive. In a
very few- minutes the train arrived in safety at the
Manors Station of the North Shields Railway, where
Mr. Hudson and his friends alighted, and proceeded to
the Queen's Head, where a sumptuous entertainment
had been provided for them by the Mayor of New-
castle.

Upwards of 70 gentleman sat down to luncheon, the
Mayor presiding; the vice-chair was filled by the Sheriff,
Captain Weatherley.
His Wonsuir, after luncheon, proposed " The health
of the Queen," which was drunk with the greatest en-
thusiasm.
The MAYOR next proposed " Success to the York,
Newcastle, and Berwick Railway Company, with the
health of Mr. G. Hudson and his staff.—(Loud cheers.)
His Worship said he had great pleasure in meeting his
friends on this most auspicious occasion. As a commer-
cial man he looked upon this as a great event. The
immense population of the two counties, and the great
amount of produce in the ono which might now be con-
veyed to the other, made that event so important that
its beneficial consequences could scarcely be estimated.
—(Cheers.) For all this they were indebted to their
friend Mr. Hudson, whose enterprise and whose able
conduct in managing the pecuniary affairs of the com-
panies over which he presided had enabled him to accom-
plish this great engineering work.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. HUDSON, who on rising was received with reite-
rated cheers, said he had to thank the Mayor and the
present company for the compliment which they had so
kindly paid him, and ho also thanked them in the names
of those gentlemen who were associated with him for
the same compliment paid to them. He assured the
company it was their anxious wish and study to make
the undertaking in which they were associated beneficial
to the public and advantageous to the shareholders.
Although the occasion was one which gave him great
pleasure, he could not forget that his late friend, and
who was once the near neighbour of those he addressed,
was no more.—(Hear, hear.) He could not but regret
that they were deprived of the smiles and the congratu-
lations by which the event would have been hailed by
that distinguished individual, whose wisdom had carried
him to the highest point of reputation for engineering
excellence. He alluded to his late friend Mr. George
Stephenson, who was the originator of this undertaking.
—(Cheers.) But, although they might repine and feel
distress at that melancholy event, yet he was sure the
projector of this undertaking would live, not only in the
recollection of parties who knew him personally, but of
generations yet to come; lie would be regarded as one
of the greatest benefactors of his es. It was a re-
markable fact that in passing upwards of 200 properties,
and
been having upwards of 200 parties to deal with, he had
able. with only three or four exceptions, to deal
twhietmh tah
seratheoya weretermsto
which he hoped were satisfactory to
the company, and they had not
been required to call fo
have recourse to a referrotnhoee.intTerhvienftion of a jury, nor
for the honour and integrity of thesitthacatbistpaouktse
oafs
Nmouwch.
castle and the district as any event that could be re-