The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-29 00:00:00

CHELTENHAM AND OXFORD.

CHELTENHAM, SATURDAY EVENING.—The half-yearly
general meeting of this company, which was appointed
by public advertisement to be held here to-day, has gone
off in rather a novel manner. One o'clock was the hour
appointed for the meeting, and it was understood that
the chair would be taken by Mr. James Agg Gardiner.
At the hour appointed, however, not more than three
shareholders had made their appearance, and after wait-
ing an hour, and there not being then a sufficient number
of proprietors present to constitute a legal meeting, an
adjournment sine die took place.
It was understood that a report had been prepared to
be laid before the meeting, but as it was not read it will
not. be amiss to state briefly what has been done by your
directors during the past hallyear. At the last meeting
held in February last, the directors in their report re-
ferred to the monetary pressure prevalent when their Bill
was passed, and said—
"ln such a state of things, the directors could not
doubt but that they should best consult the interests of
the shareholders by abstaining from al! movements in-
volving any considerable expenditure of money, and paus-
ing until a renewal of confidence should justify them in
p,occedine And they conceive that it will be wise and
,•
prudent to maintain the same passive course of policy
until a deciied change for the better shall have taken
!m
'ica m ' the monetary affairs of the country. Acting on
this principle, they have sanctioned no expenditure since
the passing Of the Act, except that which arose in con:
ducting the inquiry into the supply of the water in the
Cheltenham sand bed, rendered necessary under the
clauses inserted for that purpose in the company's Act.
The pursuance of a similar course for a certain period is,
indeed, made compulsory on the board by the Railways
yet Co
fitntiMts.slenccdrs
Act of the present session, 11 Vie. c. 3, which receiv-el
thec ompinatos.elini.igg,
a'olfida theor
nc
the royal assent on the 20th December. Under the
clause of this A, t, which is now binding on the company,t
saallspeoennitir:l,,C; tsfofrortw-xeolrykes
monthson lines
frrioomt
Act. This Act also empowers the
of
jeeilwaye, in such cases as they may deem
application from the company
have
oaryreaenctiyha
oipruei
gtri it,hiyotd
int t
ce
advisableenedd it
labt
goe
time
yfeo
ar r makingrr he
directors
ress
avail themselves of the powers thus granted_ to the com-
missioners, and they have applied to that board for an
extension of time, both for the purchase of lands and the
completion of the works."

The application made since the publication of the
above has been successful, and the time for purchasing
the lands and completing the:lino has been prolonged

fe,r two years. The works have been altogether sus.
pended, and the expenditure of the company has in the
interim been narrowed within the closest limits. No
further calls have been made, and it apprars that the
sum expended up to this time is within 30,0001. Only
three-fourths of the shares in this undertaking have
been allotted.

THE EASTERN UNION RAILWAY.
On Friday the first half-yearly meeting of the Eastern
Union and Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's Amalga-
mated Companies was held at the offices of the company,
Brook-street, Ipswich.
Colonel Pratt Barlow, the deputy chairman, in the
absence of Mr. J. C. Cobh°ld, M.P., the chairman cf
the company, on account of ill health, presided.
Mr. J. F. SAUNDERS, the secretary, read the report.
" The receipts of the line, from the Ist of January to the
30th of June were:—passengers, merchandise, &c.,
14,1561. Ils. 71d.; goods, cattle, &c., 14,9961. Is. 6id.
total, 29,1222 13s. 2i. The Norwich line as far as For-
raingham, was opened for goods on the 7th of June, aad
considerable traffic existed over it, without any material
addition to working expenses. The directors calculated
on opening the line in July next. The directors had
however, to make an appeal to the shareholders as to the
importance of forwarding the amount: still wanting.
Those who subscribed to the fund for insuring the open-
ing would not only receive the interest at the rate of 6
per cent. for their immediate contribution to it, but it
would bo the means of bringing more quickly into a re-
munerative state the capital they had already invested,
and which must remain without any return until the
completion of the railroad into Norwich is effected."
Mr. FIELD, one of the auditors, in reference to reports
extensiv.Ay circulated in London, that the company was
not paying its expenses; and that there was no prospect
for the shareholders, begged to state that the profit on
the last half-year was not only sufficient to pay the in-
terest on debentures, but to leave a large surplus to go
to the general charges on the company.
The report was carried unanimously.
Mr. JOHNSON brought forward a resolution for a com-
mittee to abolish Sunday traffic, and declared that it was
proved on the Edinburgh and Glasgow and Scottish
Central Railways to he a matter of economy. In the
United Kingdom there were no less than 800 trains run
and 47,000 persons employed on the Sabbath.
Mr. LILLINGTON seconded the resolution, which, after
a few words from the chairman, was negatived by a large
majority.
This meeting was then adjourned and an extraordi-
nary meeting was opened pro forma, to consider a modi-
fied agreement with reference to the Stour Valley and
its extensions, and it was adjourned till the 9th of Octo-
ber next.
After thanks to the Chairman, the proceedings ter-
minated.

---- - -
THE OCEAN- MONARCH.
LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.—On this melancholy affair we
have but little to add to the copious details already pub-
lished in The Sun. But one feeling pervades all classes
• —that of deep sympathy with the sufferers by the cala-
• nifty. The suggestions for providing the means of
alleviating their distress are numerous, and many steps
are in progress which will contribute to swell the list of
contributions. Owing to the strenuous exertions of the
committee, the industry of private parties, and the ap-
peals by different ministers to their congregations, the
work of humanity prospers. Besides contributions of
clothes, provisions, &c., the subscription lists are rapidly
filling, and these is every reason to hope that in the
course of a few days the poor surviving emigrants will
he in a much more comfortable position in a monetary
point of view than they were previous to this sad catas-
trore.
"esterday, 1001. was received from the Chevalier
Lisboa, the Brazilian 21inis ter, for the crew of the Bra-
zilian frigate Alfonso. Thia was communicated to them,
when, to their honour be it spoken, they one and all
refused to receive the money, expressing a desire that it
should be handed over for the benefit of the sufferers.
We have heard that the Prince do Joinville, when leav-
ing a large sum of money with Admiral Greufell, said,
"Take this, Admiral, for those poor people; it is that
which we had intended to expend in a tour of pleasure,
which, after this, it is impossible to enjoy."
Up to the time at which we write the amount of
money collected is upwards of 1,5001.
With the view of obtaining a complete muster of the
survivors, so that their names, for the satisfaction of
their relatives and friends, might be recorded, and that
the plans of relief which public generosity is so freely
contributing might be duly administered to them, the
Messrs. Hamden called to-day a meeting of the whole
of the passengers that could be found, at their offices, in
Waterloo-road. Nearly 150 drew up. Although pri-
vate charity had in the mean time provided clothing for
many, and had otherwise done much, a majority of the
poor creatures were iu the most wretched and destitute
condition. One poor woman who was present had lost
not less than five of her children; and it was pitiable to
hear the recital of personal loss and peril which each
poor sufferer had to tell. It has already, however, been
our duty to record so many painful details, that it
would scarcely be wise or necessary further to expa-
tiate here. The poor creatures who assembled were
taken under the charge of two of Messrs. narndea's
clerics to the central police-office, in High-street,
where clothing of the most miscellaneous kind (contri-
butions of which had been poured in with a liberal
hand) was distributed to the sufferers by Mr. Superin-
tendent Clough.
As there has been considerable discrepancy in the
statements published Its LO too numbers of persons on
board the Ocean Monarch at the time she lett the Mer-
sey, we have collected the following from authentic
sources:—

Steerage passengers
First and second cabin
Captain and crew
--39 G
_ .

SAVED.
Per Affonso, Brazilian steam-frigate 156
„ Queen of the Ocean, yacht 32
„ Prince of Wales
„ smack

Saved .
215
Missing l7B

The blackened masts and some of the spars 396
of the
Ocean Monarch ship, with portions of the rigging at-
tached, were towed into the river on Friday, by one of
the steam tugs, which found them floating near the spot
where the remains of the vessel went down. They were
floated into the Prince's Basin, where they remain.
Captain Murdoch has forwarded the following letter:—
"Sir,—l have just read au article inthe London Times,
and also some observations made in the House of Com-
mons by Mr. Hume, tending to cast serious reflection on
the conduct of the captains of the steamers Cambria and
Orion, for not having rendered their assistance in rescu-
ing the passengers of my ill-fated ship, and, as I believe
these imputations were made under a misapprehension of
the facts, I am most anxious to relieve them from any
unfair share of blame. I know that both vessels had
passed me several miles before the fire was observed by
them, and against wind and tide it would have taken an
hour and a half for them to reach me; and being greatly
crowded on their decks, as I understand they were, by
passengers, and seeing a large steamer and two othor
vessels close at hand, without knowing the emergency of
the case from the great number of emigrants on board,
they might fairly suppose that I should have received
sa
emp r v
ce e assistanceto
us. beforedo not,
tthhee?.e•
focrocn,l
ad t t ha
cahv eb
lraemn
ed etroe d a
them,
n
y
and I should wish, through the medium of your journal,
to express thus much to the public.
"I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
"JAMES MURDOCH.,
" Commander of the Ocean Monarch.
"Sunday morning, Aug. 27."
We believe that a telegraphic message from Govern-
ment was received today by his Worship the Mayor
making inquiries relative to Frederick Jerome, the sea-
man who behaved so gallantly.

INQUEST ON TEE BODIES.
Yesterday inquests were held at Liverpool on the
bodies of five of the sufferers who mot their death on
board the Ocean Monarch. With Mr. Curry, the
coroner, were Admiral Grenfell, Captain Evans, and
other gentlemen of influence in the town.
The CORONER stated to the jury that a reason not
before given amongst the supposed causes of the origin
of the fire was, that a seaman named Jenkins took a
lighted candle into the lazaretto about eight o'clock in
the morning. He returned in twenty minutes without
it, and upon being questioned, stated that he had put it
into his pocket to grease his boots. After some other
preliminary remark, in which the coroner eulogised the
brave conduct of Admiral Grenfell and the crew of the
Affonso, as well as that of Mr. Littledale, the examina-
tion of the witnesses began.
Joanna Tobin, a young woman, sister to the deceased
Mary Tobin, called—Was a passenger by the Ocean
Monarch, which sailed on Thursday morning. ger
nearfire.
going to
sister was thirty-eight years old. They were
Boston. When the alarm of fire was given, witness was
sii
ship appeared
e increased ve very rahp_eidlon
sitting on one of the boxes in the first steerage. She
immediatly ran on deck, and in about a quarter of
hour she observed flames coming through the deckan
thTehles flames:hole 37) and
Witness was saved by a boat belonging
itnheafisrhsotrctatbimine.
to a
acket. Be-
fore she got off the masts were gone, and the bulwarks
nearly destroyed. Witness only saw the
after the alarm of fire was given, until
she saw
once
s
Liverpool on Saturday. The confusion e saw him in
on board was
extreme, and witness was so much
i alarmed that it was
probable the captain was attending to his duty on board,
though she did not see him. She observed the
first mate in a small boat; he 'w"
buoys to the persons in the water. Shethrowing out life-
buoys saw her sister
in the net of going d...wn the side of
never observed her afterwards. the ship by a rope;
until she saw ber in the
del(' house.
Mr. Wright, the elerl-
, of the peace, who appeared on
the fart
of the •
corporation, put a few questions to the
witness,
cued until there or four hours after the fire broke out.
Charles Hill, a passenger broker, identified the body
of Geoffrey Lynch, ono of the second-cabin passengers.
He engaged his passage through witness. As there was
likely to be a question of property set up, a witness
named Murphy was called to prove the Christian name
of Geoffrey Lyne!,.
James Tierney deposed that he at present resided
in Liverpool, but generally lived at Omagb, in Ire-
land. 'Tae deceased, Ellen Tierney, was his mother.
He saw her last alive on board the ship on the Sunday
before it sailed; since that ho had seen her dead in the
receiving-house
The CORONER said the remaining bodies should be
taken as bodies unknown.
The inquiry was still proceeding when this report was
dispatched.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer returned to torn
yesterday, from Nunehata Park.