The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-13 00:00:00

➢iANCHESTER AND BIRMINGHAM.

MANCHESTER, MONDAY, HALF -PAST FOUR.—This
day, at noon, a special general meeting of the proprietors
of the Manchester and Birmingham Railway was held at
the offles of the Company at the station in London-road,
for the purpose of considering the propriety, and if so
determined, of authorising the Manchester and Birming-
ham Railway Company to subscribe towards or pur-
chase shares in the following railways or undertakings,
or some one of them ; that is to say, the Manchester,
Buxton, Matlock, and Midlands Railway—the Shrop-
shire Union Railway and Canal Company—the Man-
chester and Hyde Railway ; and also for the purpose of
obtaining or refusing the authority or sanction of the
said proprietors to the Directors proceeding to obtain
an Act or Acts of Parliament, in the next or some subse-
quent session of Parliament, for power to construct the
certain branch railways in connexion with the Manches-
ter and Birmingham Railway, for which plans and sec-
tions have already been deposited, pursuant to the stand-
ing orders ; and also for obtaining or withholding the
approbation and sanction of the proprietors to the Direc-
tors opposing any other railways projected, which may
in their judgment or otherwise be considered prejudicial
to this Company ; and for effecting any arrangement
with other companies for the purpose of such opposition,
or which may appear likely to promote the interests of
this Company.
Mr. J. P. WEsTHEAD, Chairman of the Board of Di-
rectors, took the chair, and opened the business of the
meeting by calling upon the law clerk to read the notice
convening the meeting.
The CHAIRMAN then said, that a; regarded the pro.
jects adverted to in the notice convening the meeting, he
would offer a few observations. Some time back this
Company was waited upon by parties connected with the
neighbourhood of llyde and Denton, who complained that
they had not adequate accommodation in that district;
and it was suggested that more complete accommodation
might be afforded by a branch from the Manchester and
Birmingham line at Lonpight, the line to branch off
in that direction. The Directors were informed that
such a project would not interfere with any existing in.
terest, and they agreed to take an interest to the ex-
tent of 75,0001. in the line, the estimated cost of which
was 150,0001. Two of the Directors had inquired into
the amount of traffic likely to be derived upon that
branch, and they had recommended the London and
Birmingham Company to give their sanction to the
project. The next subject they had met to consider was
their connexion with the Shropshire Union Company.
At the last half-yearly meeting it was stated i
that there
were several projects afloat on the other side of _
Grand Junction line. There were the Ellesmere and
Chester Canal, the Shropshire Canal Company, and
Birkenhead and Shropshire, the Trent Valley Junction,
the Shrewsbury and Worcester, and Worcester and
Crewe, all of which it was proposed to consolidate into
one company, and this Company was to take an interest
to the extent of 200,0001., subject to the sanction of the
proprietors. These Companies were to be proposed to
be included in one company, to be called the Shropshire
Union Railway Company. One part of this important
plan was owing to the unaccountable conduct of Mr.
Giles, the engineer, or whom they had all heard some-
thing,
being prevented from depositing its plans and
sections of that part. But the others had all been duly
deposited. The former was a circumstance which was
much regretted by the promoters of the Shropshire
lines ; but, considering that they had deposited the
greater part of their plans in a satisfactory manner, it
had been determined to go on with their application for
one part of their scheme, and try for the remainder in
the next year. The line between Worcester and
Shrewsbury, with the other projects which were re-
commended by the Directors, would reqnire an outlay
from this Company of 200,0001. The London and Bir-
mingham Board had sanctioned the proceeding. There
was next the Buxton, Matlock, and Midlands Com-
pany, which was also referred to at the last half-
) early meeting, and in which it was proposed
by the Directors to take an interest to the
extent of 190,000/. At the time of their last half-
yearly meeting, the arrangement between this Company
and the London and Birmingham was concluded, but no
arrangement had been at that time come to between the
latter Company and the Grand Junction. Since that
time, an arrangement of an highly satisfactory character
had been come to, and the Directors thought that the
sanction of the meeting should be given to a Bill which
would incorporate them not only with the London and
Birmingham, but with the Grand Junction.—(Cheers.)
A Bill would be submitted to them for approval, in
accordance with the standing orders of Parliament.
These were the substance of the resolutions which he

would submit to the meeting. The amount which this Com-
pany would have to subscribe. would be for the Buxton
Matlock, and Midlands, 100,0001.; the Shropshire Union,
200,0001. ; and the Manchester and Hyde, 75,000/.
Amongst the improvements of their own line, the
Directors recommended a diversion from Adswood to
Poynton, another from the line near Macclesfield to
Bollington, an extension from Wilmslow to Prestbury,
and a branch from Wilmslow to Northwich and the
Grand Junction Railway. The Chairman then alluded
to the necessity which existed for the .constreati9n of the
above-:named lines, so as to make their line as perfect as
possible. If the line from t
Wilmslow to Northwich were
made, the traffic in coals would be grea. At present great