The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-20 00:00:00

EVENING, SEPTEMBER 20, 1848.

Post-office contract. The stipulated interest upon
the preference shares, of course, commenced on
the Ist of April last. For the sake of conve-
eience, your directors recommend that the payments
to both classes of shareholders should be brought down
to the same date, namely, the 30th June last. If this
recommendation be sanctioned by the meeting, you will
have now to declare a dividend of 4s. lid. per share on
the preference shares, which your directors recommend
to be made payable on the 25th instant. The payment
of interest on the original shares to the 30th June last,
they propose to make payable on the same day as last
year, namely, the 10th of October next.
" Your directors deeming it necessary to take steps to
compel payment of arrears of calls, amounting in the
aggregate to 70,1501., and being desirous to act with
impartiality towards all parties in default, have issued
circulars to all shareholders who are in that predi-
cament, apprisng those who have been long in arrear.
that unless pa) ment be made on or before the 10th
October, the directors will be compelled to put in
force the powers of forfi iture with which the are in-
vested, as well as such other measures, in order to
coratel peyn ent, as they may be advised to adopt. The
shareholders who have not been so long in default, have
received notice that their arrears are likewise required
to be paid immediately to prevent the forfeiture of their
shares. With refer, nee to the state of the money market
in regard to railway property more especially, your
directors have taken these measures with great reluct-
ance; but acting us the trustees of the general body of
shareholders, they have fat it to be their duty to pro-
tect those who have punctually discharged their liabili-
ties, from any hazard of suffering from the default of'
the comparatively few parties who have not fultille,l
their obligations in the like manner.
In conclusion, your directors whilst deeply regret-
ting the present extreme, yet, as they are persuaded,
undue depreciation of your property, feel that they are
entirely warranted in assuring you of your conviction
that with the completion of the line, and the return,
under the blessing of Providence, of that public prospe-
rity which has now been so long denied to these king-
doms, your income will be such as to justify the enter-
prise which planned this great undertaking, and the pa-
tience with which you have awaited for its fruits."
The following report of Mr. George Stephenson, the
engineer of the company, was also read. The only
works now remaining to complete are the following :
About two miles of the Bangor Contract; the second
tube of the Conway- bridge; the Britannia-bridge. The
completion of the Bangor Contract has been much de-
layed by the want of arrangement on the part of the
contractor, together with the circumstance that the three
tunnels, although constructed in hard rock, have, since
the exposure to the action of the atmosphere, indicated
the necessity of arching being introduced; this is now in
a forward state. In the Llandagai Tunnel about eighty
yards will require lining to be made perfectly safe. In
the Bangor Tunnel about 140 yards of side walls, and
400 yards of arching yet remain to be done. In the Bel-
mont Tunnel, out of the entire length (700 yards) about
200 3ards will require lining. The other works of
this contract are very inconsiderable, and consist only
of a portion of permanent way, dressing slopes, and
finishing the entrances to the tunnels. In the course of
November all may be completed. The construction of
the second tube of the Conway-bridge is tar advanced ;
the castings at the ends are partly inserted, preparations
are being made for floating it into its place, and there is
no doubt that it will be ready for removal by the middle
of October. The pontoons have been strengthened, the
capstans re-erected, and every other arrangement in a
forward state for that purpose. The state of progress in
the masonry of the Britannia-bridge will be gathered
from the following statement :

Cubic feet.

Carnarvon and Anglesea Abutment finished.
Carnarvon Tower—Stone set at present date 185,368
Required to complete 22,627
Britannia Tower —Stone set at present date
Required to complete .. 131,323
Anglesea Tower—Stone set at present date
Required to complete
Taking the progress which is now making as the guide,
and I do not think that it can be materially accelerated,
we may reckon upon being ready for lifting the first tube
in the course of March or April. The iron work at the
lirittannia-bridge has progressed even more rapidly than
was expected, and the four large tubes are just approach-
ing completion. The whole of the central portion of the
tubes is finished, and the castings at the ends are now
being inserted. The temporary piers are in course of
construction under the first tube to be removed, which
will probably be completed and resting upon them in the
course of six or eight weeks. The scaffolding for
the end tubes on the Anglesea side is com-
plete, and a large proportion of the iron is
already punched for their immediate commence-
ment. The scaffolding necessary for the tubes on the
Carnarvon side will be erected immediately, to open the
line throughout as rapidly as possible. Every arrange-
ment is being made for floating the tubes, as soon as the
masonry is ready. The extra iron pontoons are partly
constructed, the additional hydraulic press required is
also in hand, and the excavations under the tubes will be
commenced immediately, so that the operation of raising
might take place in January, provided the masonry were
sufficiently advanced. The works throughout the whole
of the line are standing in the most satisfactory
manner. The tunnels, sea wails, and viaducts for
carrying the line round the promontories of Penmaen
Bach and Penmaen Mawr have effectually resisted the
action of the sea during several heavy storms, and will,
I have no doubt, continue to do so. The daily passage
of heavy trains through the Conway Tube for tour
months, together with a series of careful observations
as to the effects produced, have completely established
the correctness of the views upon which the designs for
this and the Britannia were based. I regret that the
cost of these structures has very much exceeded what I
originally calculated upon; on re-considering, however,
he whole subject, and taking into account also the
numerous suggestions that have been made for carrying
a railway across the Menai Straits, I am satisfied that
the method which has been adopted in the present state
of our knowledge is certainly the most eligible, if not
the only practicable one."
After some discussion, both reports were agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN, in answer to the question of a pro-
prietor, said that the company had now three steam-
boats running, and one nearly ready to run.
Mr. WILLIAMSON was anxious to know who was the
present secretary of the company? He was also desirous
of knowing the cause of their late secretary's resignation.
The CHAIRMAN said that the secretary, pro tem, was
Mr. Gifford. With respect the cause of Mr. King's re-
signation, one was a domestic affliction.
Mr. WILLIAMSON said that a rumour had gone abroad
that the cause of Mr. King's resignation was the undue
interference of one of the directors.
The CHAIRMAN observed that when Mr. King sent in
his resignation there was a unanimous feeling of regret
expressed by the board. Mr. King had been pressed
to retain his situation, but he said it was impossible, used
the death of his father strengthened that determination.
He could assure the meeting that the resignation of Mr.
King was regretted by every gentlemau in the direction.
A resolution empowering the directors to grant de-
bentures instead of preference shares was unanimously
agreed to, as was also a resolution declaring a dividend
of 4.. lid. on preference shares, payable on the 10th of
October.
Thanks were then voted to the chairman and directors,
and the meeting separated.

CRIMINAL COURT.—(THIS DAY.,
OLD COURT!.
Mr. Justice Erie and Mr. Justice Vaughan took their
seats on the bench shortly after ten o'clock.
CASE OF RAPE.—Theodore Piedfort, a respectably-
attired foreigner, described as a hairdresser, aged 41,
was indicted for the commission of a rape upon the per-
son of a young woman named Rose Harris, aged 27, a
kitchen-maid in the service of Lady Dundonald, on
Thursday, the 29th of June last. It appeared that the
prisoner, who was in the habit of dressing her Lady-
ship's hair, proceeded about one o'clock on that day to
a house occupied by her Ladysip at Hampstead, h
er-
was in the care of the prosecutrix alone, and there p
petrated the offence, after using much violence, accord-
ing to the testimony, which was unshaken, in a search-
ing cross-examination by Mr. Clarkson, who appeared
for the prisoner.
Mr. CLARKSON made an able appeal to the jury on
behalf of the prisoner.
Several respectable persons gave the prisoner a high
character for morality and decency.
Mr. Justice ERLE carefully summed up the evidence,
and explained the law to the jury.
After an absence of an hour and twenty minutes, the
jury returned into court with a verdict of Guilty.—Sen-
tence deferred.
THE CHARTIST TRIALS.
John Shaw surrendered to take his trial, charged with
sedition, and with havinglattended an unlawful assembly.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL stated the case against the
prisoner. The defendant was an undertaker, carrying
on, he believed. a respectable business, and therefore, in-
stead of inciting other classes to violate the law, he
should have set them an example of obedience to the
law. It was the duty of the jury to see that the Govern-
ment did not by these prosecutions interfere with the
liberty of the subject, but on the other hand it was their
duty to see that the machinations of wicked and designing
persons were not allowed to menace the administration
of the laws and the Government of the country, in which
case they would be placed under a government of
tyranny. The meeting was held in the Milton-street
Theatre, Cripplegate, on the 28th of July, the day
following the unfounded rumour that Ireland was in
rebellion, and the object of his address was to foment re-
bellion here. The meeting was called by placard, and in-
vited the Irish of the vicinity to attend, and the prisoner
was called to the chair. (The Attorney-General then
read the speech which, since it has recently appeared in
the papers, will be no doubt fresh in the recollection of
our readers).
Mr. White, the short-hand writer, deposed to attend-
ing the meeting, and taking the speeches delivered at it
in short-hand. About 500 people were present at the
bo4inning of the proceedings, but the number increased
to 1,000 before their close. The majority present were
Irishmen. The witness read the speech from his note-
book. Persons named White, Collins, and Waddington,
spoke.
Mr. Cope produced a copy of the Times of the 27th
of July, containing the statement that Ireland was in
open rebellion, and said,there were rumours in London to
this effect on the day in question.
Mr. PARRY addressed the jury for the defendant, and
remarked that mt.ny persons had been convicted of the
offence laid to his charge and were now undergoing
puniAment, but yet it seemed that the justice of the
country, in the view of the Government hasl not
been satisfied. It was true the defendant was a man of
respectable character, but he complained that he had
been brought before them as a Chartist—as one acting
in conjunction with persons calling themselves Irish con-
federates; in fact they had been called upon to convictthe