The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-02 00:00:00

PRICES OF SHARES.

IN BANOL.S, ASSURANCE, AND OTHER COI.
rANIIEI STOCK.
Prom the Official List,
PUBLISHED L71:1!Y TUESDAY AND FRIDAY EVENING.

I.@TDON. TUESDAY, MAY 2.
ZOVZT-STOCIE SILNZS.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
There being tilgy twenty-six Members present at
Four o'clock, tal4 House stands adjourned till to•
morrow, at Twelve.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.
(THIS DAY.)
A special general meeting of the proprietors of the
Great Western Railway was held this afternoon, at
the Paddington Station ; Mr. Charles Russell, Chair-
man of the Board of Directors, in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN intimated that it was merely a
formal meeting to agree to the drafts of the Bills the
company had before Parliament.
After some considerable discussion, the directors
were empowered to proceed with the following Bills :
" A Bill for maltinc a Railway from the Berks and
Hants Railway, at Hungerford, to join the line of the
Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway, at Westbury
and Devizes."

" A Bill to enable the Great Western Railway Com-
pany to construct a Loop line from the Birmingham and
Oxford Junction Railway, through the town of Leam-
ington, and for other purposes."
" A Bill terconfer additional powers on the Great
Western Railway Company, with reference to an agree-
ment of the 12th day of November, 1846, for the pur-
c.hat.e by them of the Birmingham and Oxford Junction,
and Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley Rail-
ways."
" A Bill to enable the Great Western, the Bristol and
Exeter, and the South Devon Railway Companies, re-
spectively, to increase their subscriptions towards the
undertaking of the Cornwall Railway Company.
" A Bill to enable the Plymouth Great Western
Dock Company to raise further capital, and to au-
thorise the Great Western, the Bristol and Exeter, and
the South Devon Railway Companies to subscribe to
the Plymouth Great Western Docks, and for other pur-
poses."
The proceedings terminated with the customary
vote of thanks to the chairman and directors.

_-- -
EASTERN COUNTIES and NORTH-
ERN AND EASTEHIS RN RAILWAYS.
(T DAY.)
A special general meeting of the proprietors of
these lines was held this afternoon at the London
Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, for the purpose of con-
sidering a proposal for amalgamating with the Nor-
fold and Newmarket and Chesterford Companies, and
for other special purposes. Mr. George Hudson,
M.P., Chairman of the Board of Directors, in the
chair.

The CHAIRMAN, in introducing the financial ques-
tion, said the meeting had been called to consider and
remind the proprietors that since he had become con-
nected with the concern, the annual receipts had
risen from between 300,0001. and 400,0001. to
700,0001., and he assured the shareholders there was
every prospect of the traffic still going on increasing.
He announced that it was not the intention of the
company to enter into any fresh liabilities, •or
engage in any new works. He then moved
the resolution to authorise the raising of the sum of
675,9201. upon a minimum guaranteed interest, in
perpetuity, of six per cent. per annum, which sum
f
will be divided rateably amongst the shareholderso
the Eastern Counties and Northern an d Eastlern of
Rail-
way Companies, in the proportion of one 101. sharecaital
guaranteed stock for each 1001. of. the paid-up
of either of the said two companies, accordingh to the
arrangements now existing
.between t erdn.
in resolution, he stated, was
Parliament.
strictly legal egalan
con-
formity with their existing Acts of
the
proposal, exception was taken to the .
legality of
proposal, but Mr. Duncan explained that was
strictly legal. aid ultimately the resolution was put
to the meeting and carried.
The CHAIRMAN then moved the resolution autho-
rising the directors to complete the amalgamation
with the Norfolk and Newmarket and Chesterford
Companies, and, in doing so, he stated that the ar-
rangement would not only increase the traffic of the
concern, but it would have the effect of reducing the
expenditure of the joint companies by nearly 20,0001.
per annum.

After some discussion the resolution was agreed to.
A vote of thanks was then passed to the chairman
and directors, and the meeting, which was an exceed-
ingly crowded one, terminated after a sitting of up-
wards of two hours.

NORFOLK RAILWAY.
(11-11 S DAY.)
_ _

A special general meeting of the shareholders of
this company took place to-day, at the Company's
Offices, Guildhall-buildings, for the purpose of consi-
dering an agreement proposed to be made with the
Eastern Counties Railway Company for an amalga-
mation of the two companies upon certain terms and
conditions ; and, in case such agreement should
receive the sanction of the meeting, to authorise the
directors to take all such steps as might be necessary
for carrying the same into full effect, by application
to Parliament or otherwise, and to empower them to
lease the rates and tolls of the railway under the pro-
visions of the several Acts now in force.

Mr. Peto, M.P., took the chair at twelve o'clock,
in the absence of Mr. A. Duff, the chairman of the
company, who was prevented from attending in con-
sequence of a domestic bereavement.
The SECRETARY having read the advertisement
calling the meeting, proceeded to read the following
special report :
" The circular addressed to each of the proprietors
will have apprised them that this meeting is called to
consider the expediency of entering into an agreement
with the Eastern Counties Company for an amalgama•
tion of the two companies.

" It was stated in the directors' last report, that the
great difficulty which this company has had to struggle
with was the heavy amount of the working expenses
of the line as compared with the gross receipts.
" When the Norfolk Railway was projected the rail-
way system was nearly in its infancy; but the expe-
rience of the last few years has abundantly proved, that
where two separate lines exist, running into each other,
the one connected with the metropolis, and the other
with various seaports, the resources of the latter line
cannot be so fully developed, nor the working expenses
so economically managed, as when the two lines are
placed under the charge and conduct of the company
possessing the metropolitan terminus.
" Taking these circumstances into their consideration,
together with the strong opinion expressed upon the
subject at the last general meeting, your directors felt
that the time had arrived, when it was most desirable to
effect a permanent union with the Eastern Counties
Company, whose lines are so intimately connected with
those of this company.

" They accordingly opened a negotiation with their
directors, which was met by them in the most frank and
cordial spirit ; and, after some discussion, the following
terms have been agreed upon, subject to the approval of
this eceeting :
" That as soon as practicable after this meeting, the
lines of the Nortolk Railway shall be placed in the hands
of the Eastern Counties Company, and worked by them
in conjunction with their own line, under the direction
of a joint committee; a lease being granted by this
company, under the powers of their present Act, of their
rates and tolls to three or more of the directors of the
Eastern Counties Company, as the legal means of carry-
ing out the arrangement until the sanction of Parliament
can be obtained to the permanent amalgamation of the
companies.

" that from the period of their taking possession of
the Norfolk lines, the Eastern Counties Company shall
take upon themselves the payment of the interest on bor-
rowed capital and guaranteed shares of the Norfolk and
Lowestoft Companies, and shall pay to the shareholders
a dividend after the same rate as shall from time to time
be declared on the capital stock of the Eastern Counties
Company.
"That the debts and liabilities of the Norfolk and
Lowestoft Companies shall be liquidated under th,
directionc,o_unties
cofotaahpeajaoyit,iwt
iclootaamreittt,e,eb,aaviedaed l ibe
ny
cthe n r
gEea sutpe
nr
ri
ii
ail the property of the Norfolk Company for any sums
which they may advance for this purpose.
earliestpomraha:ta4t P Pa practicableirai eltg la°
tapn period, shall
i, be made to Parliament at the
foofr
thean Act to authorise the
provision shall be made for giving companies,
privi,
privileges
the Norfolk in which
share-
holders the same rights and
which are enjoyed
by the Eastern Counties shareholders.
"That in the meantime, until such can be ob-
tained, the Norfolk Company shall do
t‘work the
be necessary for giving legal effect to
and permit the Eastern Counties Compan
line in their name, the establishments of
panics being blended together as far as possiblev° Coin-
.' That all disputes and difierence2 shall be left to
arbitration."
The CHAIRMAN having shortly stated the object of
the meeting, which is fully developed in the report,
observed that the bargain proposed to be made Was
one calculated to benefit both companies, and
he felt no doubt that it would receive
lsl a
contractthe
is_.
Of this he w
the cordial assent of oft'inleas
worth nothing. By the adoption
was :rsitseured'into similar to the one now pro-
posed,
be f" ,ted to the
nent a saving would e ie._
reci-
procity
of this arranger
° 00/ a .
' o less than —O,O .
yit would be w .
company of n
meeting, seconded, and
resolutions were put to t
After some considerableh discussion, the followinge
agreed to:—
Eastern Counties Com-
the •
~.r
of this company with
proved; and the
to:—
" That tke proposed arrangement for the amalgama-
tionpany be, and the same is hereby, afpfr-,
directors are hereby authorised to a
thai, may "
company to any deed or other instrument
necessary for carrying the same into effect
li:. the.se,al of the
" That the directors be, and they are hereby,.,
, pursuant to the power for that purpose contained
in the Act of Incorporation, to let the tolls upon the
whole of the railways belonging to this company to such
pseevr:onnyseaasnra,
Oaryubnetialptphreonvmedo,fambya them,(g for, the term of
company .
That toth
the
udcihreleetans e.
be sanctioned by Parliament, and ttoi )anfliaxrtehPed suepaolnosfitiablel
which may be considlearrecelnnt
be also authorised to concur in
an application to Parliament
6.;ceasnsda
r).t.o
for d
amalgamation i
. into coruplete effect." o
carryinga ll other
actsth e