The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-13 00:00:00

Tbtr 151ittion

SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock.

NORFOLK RAILWAY COMPANY.
(THIS DAY.)
The half-yearly general meeting of this Company was
held at their offices, Guildhall-buildings, to-day, at one
o'clock. Adam Duff, Esq , took the chair.
The SECRETARY having read the advertisement of the
meeting, then read the report of the directors for the past
six months. It stated that the accounts for the half-year,
ending the 30th of June last, showed a gross amount of
revenue of 37,9361. 14s. Bd., making the total income, for
the eleven months during which the line had been opened
throughout, 62,9791. 14s. 11d., a result considered by
the directors to be as favourable as could be ex-
pected in the first year of a new line; that out of this
the directors recommended a dividend to be declared at the
rate of six per cent. upon the capital paid up ; that the
branch to East Dereham would be opened by the Ist of Oc-
tober, and the branch to Lowestoft about the same time;
that the directors had been successful in obtaining Bills for
the East Dereham branch to Fakenham, Wells, and Blakeney,
and for carrying out the arrangement for vesting the Lowe-
stoft railway and harbour in the Company; and that during
the eleven months ending the 30th June, there were 393,063
passengers conveyed upon the Norfolk Railway, out of which
28,254 were booked between Norwich and London, or about
one-thirteenth of the whole, and that these passengers gave
a gross revenue of 9,3031. 10s. 6d., being less than 300/. a mile
for the whole year. . _

The CliAlltilAlq then said, that the report which had been
drawn up at some length would make it unnecessary for him
to say much. The first subject alluded to in it was the re-
venue, and on that head it was a subject of congratulation to
the directors that the line bore out all their expectations.
It had never been the custom of the directors to exaggerate
the prospects of the Company; they had always promised
them a line at a small cost, with a remunerating
traffic, and their words were completely fulfilled. The work-
ing expenses bad, as usual, been calculated and set down at
40 per cent. That was the best arrangement at the present
which they could make, but when the line was in full work-
ing a more detailed estimate would be given. However, it
was for the shareholders to recollect that when the Ely and
Peterborough line was opened it would be wrought with
their own staff, without any other addition than that of some
station clerks. He said he had no great fear of the London
traffic being diverted from the line; but, he said, their great
salvation was the small cost of their line, being not much
above 15,0001. a mile, including their plant and stations. As
for the Eastern Union Railway, if they succeeded at first in
materially damaging them, that Company would bitterly re-
pent it themselves. He concluded by moving that the re-
port read be received, printed, and circulated among the
shareholders.

Captain TINDAL seconded the resolution, which was carried
unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN moved that a dividend be declared at the
rate of six per cent. upon the capital paid up, on the respec-
tive shares as follows:

12s. per share on 7,500 Yarmouth and Norwich shares.

lls. 10d. ... on 1,875 New Yarmouth and Norwich shares.
lls. id. ... on 19,000 Norwich and Brandon shares.
2.. Bd. ... on 22,000101. shares.

Os. Bd. ... on 39,375 21. shares.
Mr. HARVEY seconded the resolution, which was carried
unanimously.

The CHAIRMAN moved that, pursuant to the power con-
tained in the Company's Act of the present session, ant ad-
ditional capital of 300,0001. be raised in 15,000 shares of 201.
each, and that upon such shares there shall be granted a
dividend at the rate of Si. per cent. per annum, in preference
to and before any dividend shall be paid upon the other stock
and shares of the Company, and shall not be entitled to any
further proportion of the profits of the undertaking or any
future creations of capital.
This resolution was seconded and carried.
The CHAIRMAN moved that the 9,375 shares of 20/. each
of the late Yarmouth and Norwich Company and the
1,900 shares of 2/. each in the late Norwich and Brandon,
and the 39,375 shares of 2/. each in the same company, be
consolidated into a general capital stock, and divided
amongst the shareholders, according to their respective inte-
rests and shares.

This resolution being seconded, was put and carried una-
nimously.
The CHAIRMAN moved that such shares be appropriated
among the subscribers to the extension stock, in proportion
of one share for every three subscribed for, and that until
such shares be paid upon fully, interest at the rate of 5 per
cent. be allowed upon the advanced calls from the time of
payment upon these shares respectively.
The resolution was put and carried neni. con.

The Ciient.mAx moved that the directors be authorised to
raise 100,0001. upon loan, under the powers of the Act.
Mr. PARSONS seconded the resolution, which was put and
carried.

Before the meeting was dissolved,
The Rev. Mr. HERRING, of the parish of Thorpe,
represented to the meeting the lack of church ac-
commodation in that parish, on which the Com-
pany had lately built a considerable hamlet, and
located a large number of their servants. He said that
it was proposed to rebuild the parish church, which
at present was too small, and that from 1,700/. to 1,8001.
had already been raised for the purpose. He hoped that
the Company, in consideration of their servants, would
give 3001. for this object.
Some discussion ensued between Dissenters and Church-
men, the former of whom gave way, on hearing that the
directors had handsomely given ground for a site on which
to erect a school connected with the British and Foreign
School Society.
A resolution voting 3001. for this purpose was moved and
seconded, and carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman and the directors having
been passed, the meeting adjonrned.

CHARING-CROSS-BRIDGE COM.
PANY.-(THIS DAY.)

The general half yearly meeting of the shareholders in
this Company took place this day, at No. 9, Villiers-street,
Strand; William Hawes, Esq., in the chair.
The fallowing report was read by the Secretary, and
unanimously adopted :
" Your directors have to report that the tolls of the past
half-year will justify a dividend of 12s. 6d. per share, being
at the rate of five per cent. on the capital stock of the Com-
pany, the payment of which they recommend accordingly to
the meeting. Your directors have not yet obtained the Act
of Parliament to enable them to convey the bridge to Messrs.
Jackson and others : they think it due to the proprietary to
state that the report of the Commissioners appointed to ex-
amine the plans for the proposed railway termini in and near
the metropolis, has retarded the progress of the Bill in Par-
liament. Your directors very much regret to be again
obliged to refer to the differences existing between the Hun-
gerford-market Company and this board. After the strongly
expressed opinion of the last general meeting against law
proceedings, your directors submitted plans for the arrange-
ment of the steam-boat passenger traffic to the directors of
the Hungerford-market, so advantageous to that Company
that nothing but a disinclination on their part to co-operate
in obviating the difficulties incidental to a strict construction
of the agreement, can account for their refusing. All attempts,
therefore, to arrange the difference between the companies
having failed, and the market directors still refusing to refer
the subject to the consideration of some competent authority
for decision, your directors have no other alternative, to avoid
law proceedings with which they are threatened, than to en-
deavour to carry out the provisions of an agreement, a slight
modification of which would afford to the public ample
accommodation, and without which confusion and delay
must arise to all frequenting the pier and bridge, to the
injury cf both companies. The correspondence between
the companies is printed, for the use of the shareholders.
A statement of the accounts of the Company is annexed.
Three of your directors and one auditor retire from office, in
accordance with the 68th section of the Company's Act of
incorporation, but being eligible for re-election, offer them-
selves accordingly."

The following- gentlemen were then re-elected as di-
rectors :—Mr. Hobbes, Mr. Millar, and Mr. Sutton.
A. vote of thanks was then passed to the Chairman, and
the westing separated.
It was stated that the bridge had cost above 119,000/.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.
(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
Room B.
BATTLE OF THE GAUGES.
'This Committee commenced its sittings this morning at
eleven o'clock. The Noble Lords who constitute this Com-
mittee are—Lord Scarborough (chairman), Lord Calthorpe,
Lord Churchill, Lord Forester, Lord Silchester, commonly
known as Lord Longford.
The schemes referred to the consideration of their Lord-
ships are—
Grand Junction Railway, Showhill and Portobello Branch.
And the Taff Vale Railway upon re-commitment.
Their Lordships decided upon proceeding first with the
GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY, (SHOWHILL
AND PORTOBELLO BRANCH).
Mr. TALBOT, Q.C., opened the case on behalf of the pro-
moters of the Bill. The object of the proposed line was to
construct a branch, on the narrow gauge, from the Grand
Junction line, of about three miles in length, to afford the
means of a better communication with the town of Wolver-
hampton, and also to give to that town the benefit of a com-
munication with the South Staffordshire Railway. his
Learned Friend Mr. Austin appeared for the Oxford,
Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway. The object
of his opposition was to prevent the construction
el this narrow gauge branch, and thereby to shut out
the Grand Junction line from the central station at
Wolverhampton. The Learned Counsel appeared on the
part of the promoters of the line to give the Oxford, Wor-
cester, and Wolverhampton Railway access to the central
station at Wolverhampton, or to refer the question to the
arbitration of the Board of Trade, as to whether the line
ould be laid out between Showhill and Portobello in such
a manner as to accommodate both gauges.
Mr. Locke, C.E., engineer to the line, was then called and
examined by Mr. Hors.--In examination he stated that
there would be no station at Showhill, the point of junction
on the Grand Junction line, and there would not,
therefore, be any accommodation for the traffic of the Ox-
ford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton line, supposing such
traffic to be carried in that direction through Wolverhamp-
ton. The station at Wolverhampton was laid out with a view
of giving accommodation to five different companies, and he
considered that these five companies on the narrow gauge
would be sufficiently complex without having the additional
difficulty to contend with of laying down a line upon
,the
broad gauge.
Mr. Jordan, chairman of the South Staffordshire line, was
the next witness called, who stated that he considered
the proposed branch would be of 'great public importance.
The central station at Wolverhampton was purchased by the
South Staffordshire line; subsequently the four other Com-
panies alluded to by Mr. Locke, including the Oxford, Wor-
cester, and Wolverhampton Railway, were allowed to run
into the station. and it was only till latcly that he had beard
of the proposition of the Broad Gauge Company to extend
their line to Showhill.
gMr. Lane, C.E., engineer ofthell South Staffordshire line,
ave evidence of a similar nature.
Mr. Swift, solicitor to the Grand Junction Railway, was by Mr. HorE on the subject of an agreement ade
between the Grand Junction Company and the Oxford, Wor, -
rester, and Wolverhampton Company, by the terms of which
the Broad Gauge Company bound themselves not to go be-
yond the central station at Wolverhampton towards the
north.
This concluded the case en behalf of the promoters of the
Mr. AUSTIN, Q.C., then addressed the Committee in oppo-
sition to the Bill, and contended that if this branch were
made it should be made in such a manner as to afford
the greatest possible convenience to the public, with a due
regard to the proprietors of the Oxford, Worcester,
and Wolverhampton Railway, and also in such a
manner as to avoid the proposed level crossing