The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-26 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

SPECIAL RAILWAY ACTS.—Session 8 and 9

Victoria. 2 -Vols.

We have here presented to
.us the railway legislation
which took place in the year 1845, by which no less
than 2,746 miles of railway were authorised to be con-
structed, at an estimated expense of 61,357,3741. 2s. 6d.
The technical parts of the Acts, the schedules of land,
&c., have been omitted ; the merely formal clauses have
been briefly stated,and all unnecessary repetition appears
to have been avoided, so that the work is reduced to as
moderate a compass as could be consistent with utility.
There also appears to be given a full index, facilitating
a reference to the various provisions. Mr. Bigg, jun.,
has offered some sensible introductory observations,
pointing out the deficiencies of these statutes in ac-
curacy and uniformity, In the latter respect there ap-
pears to be a variance on almost every important point
in arrangement, in language, and in substance. The
shares appear to vary from 101. to 50/. ; the calls, on
these shares, from 21. to 101., which may be made et
intervals of from one to four months. The remedies given
to persons who lend their money, for recovering the
sums due to thera, by the appointment of a re-
ceiver, is in many of the statutes wholly
omitted ; but where it is introduced the amount
which must be owing to the creditors by whom
the application must be made, varies from 3,000/. to no
less than 100,0001., a sum so large as to render very
little facility indeed to creditors, and worse than use-
less, as its introduction may possibly be held to limit
the jurisdiction which the Court of Chancery might
otherwise exercise over the compan\ , in the appoint-
ment of a receiver. There is also a considerable variance
in the number and qualification of the directors, of
the number of shareholders, and amount of capital
to be held by those necessary to be present to consti-
tute a general meeting and, also, who shall be en-
titled to call an extraordinary meeting ; the scale of
voting prescribed for the different shareholders, the
quantity of land authorised to be taken for extraor
Binary purposes, and the time limited for its compulsory
purchase, which varies from one to five years ; and the
time for the completion of the works. But the point
m ost interestincannotg
be tl
oo
otkhe p
ed
ounb I
ai cs l
nt e
r ea
lryg ea,
ffae and w i
ngh itchh ecer-
tainly
in-
terests of the companies, and on which uniformity
should be strictly observed, is the maximum rate of
charges authorised to be levied. Here we find
that the rate varies per mile:— d. d.

For horses .. ; 3
to 6
For sheep
For carriages
For goods per ton :
Coals 1

to 4

Corn . . ......... 1N to 6
General merchandise
For passengers
First-class
Second-class
Third- class
On this great difference we have the following re-
marks :
" The principle of limiting the rates of charges to be made
by railway companies is excellent, but, like many other ex-
cellent theories, is useless for want of a practical application.
For instance, if one hundred sheep be conveyed on a rail-
way for a distance of forty-eight miles, that company is re-
stricted from charging more than five pounds; the utility of
the principle of limitation in this case will be evident; but
when another company, by an Act passed the same session,
is, for the conveyance on their railway of the same number of
sheep and the same distance, authorised to charge the sum
of fifty pounds, the principle (if any) upon which the maxi-
mum charges are based is difficult to be understood, and the
only inference that can be drawn is that the companies are
left to fix as high a rate as they think fit."
There are also some excellent suggestions as to the
manner in which this uniformity, so much to be desired,
may be secured by the adoption of certain general rales
to be made applicable to every Bill.
There is also a tabular abstract given, presenting at
one view a statement of the various powers granted by
this enormous map of legislation to the several corn-
panics. There are in all one hundred and twenty Acts, of
which fifty-eight Acts authorise the incorporation of
companies with power to construct lines of railway.
Forty-seven Acts:. authorise the construction of
branches, or extensions of existing railways, by com-
panies previously incorporated ; and fifteen Acts are for
the raising of additional capital, the amalgamation or
leasing of lines, or otherwise amending the provisions of
former Acts, without authorising the construction of any
new railway or branch. On the whole, the work will be
valuable, not merely to persons connected with the
legal profession, but to all who are in any way interested
in railways.

A TREATISE on the PRACTICE of COMMIT-
TEES of the HOUSE of COMMONS, with Refe-
rence Especially to PRIVATE BILLS. By Charles

Frere, Esq.
Mr. Frere, from his profession as a barrister, and his si
tuation as one of the clerks in the office of the Chief Clerk
of the House of Commons, would appear to have pecu-
liar facilities for the execution of the task which he has
imposed on himself, and he has discharged it in such a
manner as to have produced a work much wanted at
the present time. He sets forth shortly the course of
proceeding of the Committee, from its first appointment
under the order of reference, through its entire proceed-
ings ; the manner in which the agents and counsel for
the promoters, and also for the opponents of the Bill,
must appear, in order to be heard thereon ; the manner
and order of the examination and cross-examination of
the witnesses ; and also the extent to which the oppo-
nents, whether competing lines or private individuals,
whose interests may be affected by the proposed Bill,
will be permitted to go in their opposition ; and the
whale of the matter stated is supported by selections
from the standing orders ; and by resolutions adopted
by different Committees before whom questions of inte-
rest have been mooted. The order of arrangement is
good, and the information is conveyed in language suited
to all capacities. It will be found a valuable addition
to the works already before the public on Parliamentary
proceedings.

THE NEWSPAPER PRESS DIRECTORY,
containing full particulars relative to each Journal
published in the United Kingdom and the British Isles,
together with a Complete Guide to the Newspaper Press
of each County for the year 1846. By Charles
Mitchell.
This bock is a marvel; it not only performs all that
is promised in the title page, but it does more. In ad-
dition to the information therein promised it gives us,
in two introductory chapters, a well-written history of
the newspaper press, its origin and progress, and also a
history of the rise of the railway press. The particulars
given of the various journals, which comprise the date
of their establishment, the politics and particular in-
terest advocated, the names of the publishers, are
written with fairness and impartiality. As a work of
authcrity on newspaper statistics, the Directory is valu-
able, and as it is intended to continue the wQrk stn
nually ; and, to make ita record of all chenkes in news-
paper property occurring in etula year, it will be a
standard book of reference with respect to the news-
paper press.

COURT CIRCULAR.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, accompanied by his
Serene Highness the Hereditary Prince of S11.1(0 Meiningen,
and attended by the Countess of Sheffield, Lady in Waiting,
visited the Queen and Prince Albert yesterday at Bucking-
ham Palace, and remained to luncheon with her Majesty and
his Royal Highness.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited her Ma-
jesty yesterday.
The Queen and Prince Albert took their accustomed early
walk yesterday in the royal garden.
Sir Robert Peel had an audience of her Majesty yesterday.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Al-
fred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice were taken
an airing in an open carriage and four yesterday, accompa-
nied by the Dowager Lady Lyttelton.
The royal dinner arty yesterday at Buckingham Palace
included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, the Duke
and Duchess of Buccleuch, the Marquis of .AlieroOrni Lady
Augusta Bruce, Baroness de Speth, Viscount Jocelyn, Mr.
George Edward and the Hon. Mrs. Anson, and Captain
Francis Seymour.
Thethean
direction
bd
ooff
mthr.eßoyal
tetgoni
Tewntasofi
nHaotrtseenGdaunacreds,aunder
Palace during dinner, and performed the following pieces :
Overture—" Masaniello'—Auber.
Polonaise—H. Proch.
Selection—" Crusaders"—Benedict.
Waltzes—"Errinerung au Pesth"—Strans.
The Duke of Wellington gave a grand dinner yesterday
evening at Apsley House, to the Noble Directors of the Con-
cert of Ancient Music, his Grace being the Director for the
evening. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge were present, attended by Lady Augusta Cadogan
and Mr. Edmond Mildmay, arid afterwards accompanied their
Noble Host to the performance of the Concert. His Royal
Highness Prince Albert, attended by his suite, also honoured
the performance of the Concert with his presence.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent took an airing
in a carriage yesterday:
A deputation, consisting of Mr. J. Gresham, mayor q
Hull, Mr. B. M. Jalland, of Hull, Mr. Thomas Tlinro:;,•son,
town-clerk of Hull, accompanied by Sir J. I.lsn and Mr.
ner,
'
Hntt, M.P., had an interview with Sh•Q
d.`
eorge Clerk, yester-
day, at the office of the Boar A, Trade.
he felasti`7l Commissioners for England had a
T Eccl
{general Meeting yesterday, at the office in Whitehall-place.
I here were present, the Archbishop of' Canterbury, the
Bishops of London, Bangor, Carlisle, Chester, Ely, Oxford,
and Rochester, the Earl of Boseborough, and the Right Hon.
H. Halloos.

The Earl of Ripon gave a dinner yesterday evening to the
Cabinet Ministers at his residence in Carlton Gardens.
The Earl of Haddington and the Hon. F. Charteris had
interview with the Earl of Dalhousie yesterday, at the
office of the Board of Trade,
Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office,
from the Governor of the Mauritius and the Cape of Good
Hope.
Dispatches for the Governor of Hong-Kong and Ceylon
were sent off on Tuesday evening from the Colonial-office.

At Drury-lane last night every part of the theatre
was crowded as usual, Miss Rainforth and Harrison were en-
cored in their ballads, and the curtain made to reascend for
the exquisite finale in which Miss Romer surpassed herself.
The ballet of La Tarantule was also received with en-
thusiasm.
HER MAJESTY'S VISIT TO ASTLF.Y'S.—A number of
persons were charged with attempting to pick pockets in front of
Astley's Theatre, during her Majesty's visit to that theatre on the
preceding evening. Amongst them was a youth, named Alfred
Rolton, who was sworn to as having made several attempts to ease
the spectators of their loose cash. This youth is apprenticed to a
respectable cigar manufacturer, and his mother is a respectable wo-
man, so that he had not the slightest necessity to resort to dishonest
practices. It seemed, however, that, in December last, he was
committed to prison for a month, for attempting to pick the pocket
of Mr. Evans, the superintendent of the Di division of police.
Mr. Henry committed him for two months to Guildford House of
Correction.
CAPITAL PIINISHMENT.—The poor Duke of Norfolk
has been nearly choked to death, but we offer the following as the
last of the jokes upon the curry-powder. According to Gibbon, in
his Decline and Fall of.the Roman Empire (vol. i. ch 6), " The in-
vention of a sauce was liberally rewarded, but if it was not relished
the inventor was compelled to eat of nothing else till he bn a also .
vered something more palatable to the imperial palate," W 0 vender
how the Duke of tt.oLfslli wc,,rdd like betng con4emag a a diet of
Totters Owl
wee