The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-17 00:00:00

SOUTH W ARIA.-(THIS DAY,)

James Levy, a Jew, was charged with illegally retain-
ing possession of a watch the property of a Mrs. Chapman.
It appeared that the complainant being in want of a
key for her watch, applied to the prisoner, who was a
jeweller, for one. He said he could not get one to fit
the watch unless she left it with him for the purpose.
She accordingly handed over the watch to make the key
from, and it was to be returned at a specified time. The
prisoner, however, never returned the watch.
In defence the prisoner admitted he had pledged the
watch and sold the ticket. He was therefore adjudged
to pay 51. 55., the value of the watch, besides a fine of
2/., and in default of payment he was committed to the
House of Correction for three months.

NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN CON-
NECTING RAILWAY—(THIS DAY.)
This day, at one o'clock, a meeting of the'scripholders
in the above railway company was held at the Lon-
don Tavern, to receive and take into consideration the
report of the scripholders' committee, to determine what
steps should be taken in regard to the suits in the
Court of Chancery, and to consider whether any and
what part of the assets of the company can now be
divided.
Mr. JOHN CASTENDRICK took the chair, and, after the
meeting was opened with the usual preliminaries, called
upon Mr. Randell, the solicitor to the scripholders' com-
mittee, to read the report.
Mr. RANDELL then read the report, which, after ad
verting to the fact that the company was projected for
the purpose of uniting the London and Birmingham,
South-Western, London and Brighton, South-Eastern'
and Northern and Eastern Railways, stated, that in
December last it was ascertained that the plans
had not been deposited until the Ist December,
and the shareholders then called upon the
rectorsdires
to wind up the company; but, instead of doing ,
directors determined upon going to Parliament. Various
steps had been taken to stay the progress of the Bill, and
effect an immediate dissolution of the company, and on
the 11th June an interim order was obtained from the
Court of Chancery to restrain the directors from re-
ceiving the deposit out of Court. On the 23d July the
company was dissolved without bankruptcy, in pursuance
of the Railway Companies Dissolution Act, and at the
meeting the directors pesented a cash statement, showing
a balance against them of 16,7981.85. 4d., and proposed to
return to the scripholders 11. ls. per share. Upon the
balance-sheet, the committee of management remark at
great length, and state that, instead -of their being
9,9061. Bs. I Id. at the bankers, and in the shape of
securities, there was only about 26/, and no securities
whatever. Upon requiring explanation, Messrs. John-
son end Adair stated, that they could not deny
that there had .been a traffic in shares by Mr. Graham,
and that the securities were the scrip so purchases.
Mr. Graham was made a bankrupt, and from his pro-
duced statements, it appeared 3,690 shares had been
purchased at a total cost of 9,6131. 155.; all the
cheques given for this share traffic but one had been re-
moved. Mr. Scard, the only director who has answered
said, he never had the custody of any shares, but that
as to 120 of them, which were given to him for a loan
of 2001., they would be delivered to the committee. It
will thus be seen that in addition to the trafficking
in the shares with the money of the company,
the retaining those shares when purchased, in
their own hands, and the secret manner iii which the
cheques for the share traffic were drawn, not only is there
no such sum as 9,9061 Bs. Bcl., but the 3,350 shares, its
representative value, are not forthcoming, and all the
directors can show for this sum is 1,200 shares. Mr.
Howell, the clerk of the company, on the 20th Oct.
handed the committee:what he called a true balance• sheet,
by which it appeared that after payment of all claims and
liabilities there was left 7,1151. 17s. Id., or 15s. 4d. per
share to return to the scripholders. The cash remain-
ing in Messrs. Twining's noviamounts to 12,4221. Is. Bd.;
Messrs. Rogers, 8L 18s. 9d.; Messrs. Hankey's 4/. 6s. 2d.,
which, with the 1,200 shares, constitutes the present
available assets of the company. The outstanding
claims amount to 6,1001. or thereabouts, exclusive of
the costs of the suits, leaving a present balance
of 6,322/. divisible among a number of shareholders at
present unascertained. The committee, acting under
the opinion of counsel, stated, in conclusion, that until
the whole number of shares purchased by the directors
were given up, it could not be ascertained who were the
Lona fide shareholders, or what was to constitute a ma-
jority, or into what number of shares the balance of the
fundin hand was to be divided;' that it would be prudent
to retain the entire fund to abide the decision of the
Court ; and they cannot recommend any division at
present. The committee state it to be absolutely neces-
Mr. DANIELS moved the adoption of the report.
Mr. Hoecoon seconded the proposition.
Mr. D. CLARKE strongly objected to the report being
adopted that day. It was a voluminous document, and
ought to have been circulated amongst the shareholders
before. He should move that the meeting be adjourned.
sary to prosecute the suit in Chancery, but that the cause
of Adams v. De Burgh is wholly unnecessary, and may
result in useless expense.
A long and very irregular conversation ensued, but ul-
timately the meeting was adjourned until to-morrow fort-
night, to give the scripholders time to consider the report,
and the steps to be taken to bring the affairs of the com-
pany to a speedy termination.

SO UTIE-WESTERWRAILWAY
wais,hveeryady nuertCOMPANY.—(THIS DAY.)
vmeirsoeumselynt attended
the meeting having
A general meeting of this company was held at the
principal terminus, at Nine Elms, atone o'clock ; Mr.
Chaplin, chairman of the company, in the chair, which
been read,
The CHAIRMAN called upon the Secretary, Mr.
Campbell, to read
the report, from which it appeared
that, the purchase of the Richmond
Railway
hav-
ing been completed, the dt • rectors have concluded
arrangements with the promoters of the Staines
and Richmond, and W
Turning to the district intermediate between tes
projects.
lines of this and of the Brighten Railway the directors
would assure the proprietors that no pains have been
spared in preparing for Parliament lines from Wimble-
don and Godalming southwards,
__ such as were likely t
satisfy the wants of the public. The Brighton Company
ot ae
have, in like manner, prepared the preliminaries of
r
measures for eflecting the same general objects; and
committees of the two boards: have recently
met and
agreed on certain leading principles which will ensure an
equal ownership of the Portsmouth atmospheric line
by the two companies, and a general co-operation by
them for supplying the public wants throughout the
country intermediate between their respective trunk
lines. The purchase of the lines between Guildford and
Godalming, and between Portsmouth and Fareham, has
been completed—the shareholders in the Guild-
ford Extension and Portsmouth and Fareham
Company, with very few exceptions, paid—
and the works contracted for by Mr. Brassey.
In the last session of Parliament this company promoted
a short junction line between Romsey and Redbridge,
which the Parliamentary Committee refused to sanction.
The directors propose to repeat an application for this
line in the ensuing session, with an extension up the
valley of the Test to Andover. The directors are de-
terred, by the vast amount of works, from proposing
any line to connect the main South-Western
line more directly with Oxford, but fully recog•
nising the importance to the interests of this
company, of direct and unbroken communication be-
tween the midland and northern districts and, the
southern coast, the directors will continue their atten-
tion to the subject. The works on the Southampton and
Dorchester line are making rapid progress towards com-
letion. Three branches, viz., to L
ymington, to Bland
ford, and to Weymouth, have been projected by the
Southampton and Dorchester Company, and the direc-
tors recommend the company, to take their proportion of
the capital necessary for making the proposed branches,
and to lease them on the same terms as the original
work. The directors have taken such preliminary steps,
and made such arrangements with other parties, ex-
pedient for securing a continuous narrow gauge system
of lines from London to the Land's end. By obtaining
in the last session the London-bridge Extension, and
Basingstoke and Salisbury lines (the works on which
are now nearly
ready for contract), this company is pos-
sessed of the shortest and best possible lino from London-
bridge to Salisbury and (to that extent) towards Exeter,
Plymouth, and Cornwall , and they have, for the furtht r•
though at great outlay, become the
ante of that object,
proprietors bf the Salisbury and Yeovil Junction project.