The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-16 00:00:00

SUB-SECTION OF ETHNOLOGY.

Jukes, J. 8., Esq.—On the aborigines of Newfound-
land.

Latham, Dr. R. G.—Remarks on a Newfoundland
vocabulary.
Jukes, J. 8., Esq.—Varieties of the human race in the
neighbourhood of Torres Straits.
Port Essington—On the inhabitants of Port Essington.
Davies, H. 8., Esq.—On the Tasmanians.
Von Middendorf, Professor—Ethnological notes on
Siberia.

Brien, Captain—On the Africans of the neighbour-
hood of Bonny.

Freeman, gev. T. B.—On the inhabitants of Prince's
Island.

Retzius, Professor—On the ethnological distribution
of ronnd and elongated crania.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
WEST RIDING UNION.

The first general ordinary meeting of shareholders in
the West Riding Union district of railways, was held on
Monday, at the large room of the White Lion Hotel,
Halifax.

Upon the motion of Mr. G. POLLAND, H. W. Wick-
ham, Esq., took the chair.
Mr. OTTLEY, the secretary, read the report of the
directors, which glanced at the formation and progress
of the company. In the last stages the supporters of
the West Riding Union Railways received an unfavour-
able reverse at the hand of the Standing Orders' Com-
mittee, and it required the greatest exertion of the
Manchester and Leeds directors and the Members of
Parliament for the borough and the riding to obtain a
second reading before the Committee. In the end the
directors of this company conceded terms to the Liver-
pool and Leeds Company, whereby the opposition of
that company was withdrawn. The Bill was next
opposed by the Huddersfield and Manchester Company,
who applied for a branch to Bradford, which was a
vital part of the West Riding scheme; but their
application was unanimously rejected. The directors
reported that it was the opinion of Mr. Robert
Stephenson and Mr. Randshaw that the project of the
company, as at present sanctioned by Parliament, was
more complete than any of the rival schemes brought
forward last year; and those gentlemen were of opinion
that the directors acted properly in withdrawing from
their original scheme. The capital of the company was
two millions, in 100,000 shares of 201. Of these the
number of 29,070 had been allotted to the Manchester
and Leeds Company, 29,070 to the scripholders in the
late West Riding Junction Company, 29,070 to the late
West Yorkshire Company, 9,375 to the Huddersfield,
Halifax, and Bradford Company, and 3,417 in part dis-
charge of 12,000 shares agreed to be given to the Liver-
pool and Leeds Company, and the residue of the 12,000
shares to be borrowed from the Manchester and Leeds
Company. The total length of the lines, including three
short works, is 451, and the sum of 194,7111. 9s. 10d.
had been received in deposits. The directors were not
able to state the exact liabilities of the company; but
the following was as near the mark as possible:—
Deposits received with interest

Disbursements paid for land, engineering, &c. £27,283
Property at Bradford
Interest due to Mr. Wright....

£30,904

Balance in hand
The directors expected to be able to cut the first sod of
the railways at the latter end of October, and the Right
Honourable Charles Wood, ,M.P., had been requested
to perform the ceremony, The whole of the shares of
the company would be conveyed to the Manchester and
Leeds Company on the 18th of November, and Manches-
ter and Leeds scrip would be issued for the same. It
would be necessary to adjourn the present meeting,. to
affix the seal of the company on the register of proprie-
tors ; and it was proposed to adjourn the meeting to the
17th of November next, The meeting would also have
to appoint auditors, and the directors recommended
Me,srs. Rawdon, Briggs, and William Walker to the
office.

The CHAIRMAN next briefly addressed the meeting
offering his sincere congratulations on the result of their,
labours. They had had a very arduous battle to fight,
and the district had been anxiously expecting the forma-
tion of those lines of railway. He believed that the
lines which had been adopted by the engineer to the
West Riding Union had given general satisfaction to
the people In the different districts. Consequently the
directors did expect on their arrival in London to have
an easy game before them, but this had not been the
case. They had, however, felt the utmost confidence in
the correctness of their books of reference, which had
been compiled with great labour and care. After paying
a compliment to Mr. Hawkshaw, the Chairman stated
that in a short time this company would be amalgamated
with the Manchester and Leeds Company, this company
having the advantage of receiving dividends upon any
of the lines as soon as they Were completed, and he bad
no doubt but that the result would be increased returns
to both companies. It was intended to proceed with the
works with all possible dispatch. Some of the tunnels
would be immediately commenced, as they would be a
work of considerable time, and the lines leading to them
would be commenced afterwards. The object of the
directors, however, was to start every main line, in order
that the 33,000 inhabitants of the district might receive
the benefit of railway accommodation at the earliest pos:
sible period.—(Applause.) He should be happy to
answer any question that might be put to him.
A SHAREHOLDER asked the Chairman whether one
remark which he had made was not at variance with the
Manchester and Leeds policy. It appeared that they
were going to have the branches of the West Riding
Union scheme commenced all at once. When they took
into consideration the amount of capital that would have