The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-02 00:00:00

S fzi 9 SEPTEMBER 2, 1848.

the undertaking as a permanent work to be spread over
an extended period. The directors have recently effected
arrangements respecting "4,000 acres of land which
were reserved for the original undertakers, whose repre-
sentatives stipulated that the reclamation should be
.completed by the 4th day of August, 1849." This quan
iity was to be taken out of the centre reclamation.
one of such arrangements, 2,000 acres of that land, esti-
mated at 100,0001. will become the available property of
the company, upon pay meat of 20,0001. and interest in
instalments, terminating at the end of next year, by
which that liability will be removed, and the ultimate
advantages to the company greatly increased. To carry
out this arrangement, it will only be necessary to make
calls to the extent of 21. 10s. per share, payable in two
instalments between the present time and the next
half-yearly meeting, which, with the arrears now
due, will also (liable them to carry on the works
advantageously up to that period. That the repre-
sentative of the other 2,000 acres has offered to limit
his claim to 1,000 acres out of the centre inclosure,
postponing the other 1,000 acres to be provided out of
future reclamation, upon the understanding that the re-
clamation be immediately prosecuted. The result of these
united arrangements will be, that when the middle in-
closure is completed, there will be land, at a moderate
estimate, of the value of 350,0004, upon which to raise
the hinds towards the entire completion of the whole
undertaking. With reterence to the arrangement of
capital, authorised by the amended Act, the directors
suggest that the existing SOL shares, with 271.105. paid,
shall be divided into one share of 25/. with all paid, and
to half shares of 121; 10s., with I/. ss. paid upon each;
and that only such shares be made preference as are
created to replace the capital represented by the forfeited
and extinguished shares. Such preference shares to be
offered to the present proprietors in, proportion to the
number held by them; and in the event of their not being
so taken up, to be disposed of by the directors.
The directors are still advised that Mr. Dims-
dale has no maintainable claim; but that even were it
possible for him to succeed in establishing the claim put
forward, it-Ivo* extend giver a -my. small: portion sof
the rechithation now being carried out..
The accounts to - the 31st of July showed that
221,0921. had been received and 220,6064 expended;
leaving a balance of 4854
The CHAIRMAN said, on moving the adoption of the
report, that if the proprietors had any doubts with res-
pect to the plan proposed for reclaiming the land, they
could appoint a deputation to go over and inspect the
works. it was approved of by Mr. Giles, the engineer,
who has had great experience of such works in Hol-
land. Lie had been told by Mr. Dargon, the contractor,
that it could be easily and rapidly executed. .
Mr. WALEY said, their great object would be to raise
the money. He did not think that a call of 24 10s. per
share would be sufficient ; it would not do more than
raise half the money they required. He thought that
companies in their position were deserving of Govern-
ment aid.

Mr. R. HALL supported the views of Mr_ Waley,
and urged that the works should be proceeded-with.
Mr. Caoss (one of the late deputation to the works)
strongly advocated the prosecution of the works.
The report was unanimously adopted.
After some conversation, it was agreed that a call of
21. 10s. be made, and that 20,0001. be paid for the land
mentioned in the report. Two of the three retiring di-
rectors were re-elected; the other director not having
attended the board or meetiugs, it was considered use-
less to re-elect him. Mr. Waley, the auditor, was re-
elected.

The meeting was then made special, and a resolution
passed authorising the directors to divide the shares as
recommended in the report.
A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Cress and Mr.
Gladdieh, the members of the late deputation to the
works. Thanks were also voted to the chairman, and
the meting separated.

lutions, so as to avoid committing the company in any
way, but ultimately they were passed'as originally pro-
posed.
General WLEon atrd-Mr.- ANDurws, amidst loud ap-
plause, proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, which
was carried by acclamation. -

The CHAIRMAN returned thanks, and the meeting se-
parated.

CALEDONIAN.

On Thursday the half yearly meeting was held at
Edinburgh; Mr. H. Johnstone, M.P., chairman of the
directors presiding.. There was a crowded attendance
of proprietors.
In absence of Captain Coddinglon, the secretary, Mr.
GIBSON read the directors' report. It stated that the
opening of the ,Castleeary branch on the 7th ult. had
established a communication by the Caledonian Rail-
% ay, and the
,Dines in alliance will it, from London to
Perth, Stirling, Dundee, Arbroath, Forfar, end Mon-
trose, but the valueof this extension could not be fully
establithed until the connexion, via Perth,_ was formed
with the Dundee line, and until the, trunk line was com-
pleted to Aberdeen, " both whiCh of would be
effected before the-expiration of six 'months. By this
time they, also anticipated the extension of the- Garn-
kirk line into Glasgow,, the completion, of the Clydes-
dale Junction, and its connexion with the Greenock,
Barrhead, and Ayrshire linee, and through the general
terminus railway, with Glasgow harbourrall of which
would essentially contribute to ,the development of
the traffic. When ,they were in operation, there could
be -no reason to' doubt that the- shareholders would
receive an ample return' for the money they had in-
vested. Henceforth the:shareholders in the Clydesdale
Junction would he entitled,to a preferential dividend of
27,000/. a year, being 6 per cent. on their capital of
450,0001., and its prospects held out a -considerable sur-
plus beyond the amount of •guainntee. The Glasgow
and Greenock line would be shortly amalgamated with
the Caledonian, and it already. realised 4 per cent., the
amount of the guarantee. The lOcal traffic of these dis-
tricts held out every prospect that the company would
be relievedfroareny - loss on account of—the ,tartkortt-
meats which bad been entered into with these compa-
nies, whilst a great additional amount of traffic along
the main line could not fail to be secured by the unin-
terrupted communication with Ayr and Renfrew, and ac-
cess to the Western Highlands. It was with much satis-
faction, the directors intimated, that they had at last
succeeded in effecting an arrangement of differences with
the Edinburgh and "Glasgow upon terms which they
considered equitable; but as there were matters of detail
that required the sanction of, southern companies, the
details of it could not be announced. The arrears on
the several classes of shares at the preient time weee as
follow:—On the 501. shares, 31,1101; on the Clydesdale
Junction, 4,8251.; on half-shares, 193,6481.; and in the
present depressed condition of monetary affairs the di-
rectors bad not been able to enforce further payments,
and they believed there was no other course by which
the arrears on these shares could be realised than by the
adoption of a proposal made by many of the shareholders
for a
,restriction of the half to quarter shares. The re-
venue account, after making provision for the dividend
on the Garnkirk andWishaw works, exhibited a balance
of 21,408/., which showed a return of 2i per cent. per
annum; but the directors were of opinion that it would
not be prudent to make a dividend for this broken period,
but that it remain at credit of revenue account. They
considered the result was nevertheless encouraging.
seeing that the traffic of their line was as yet but im-
perfectly developed, and the receipts had gradually in-
creased, and showed an advance of 30 per cent since the
30th of June last. The directors recommended the con-
version into stock of all shares paid in full.
The report of Messrs. Locke and Errington, the en•
gineers, stated, that the opening of the Castleeary Ex-
tension gave 141 miles of the Caledonian Railway now in
operation, and completed a system of railway from Lon-
don to Montrose of 500 continuous miles. All the
works were in good order, and a large labour force had,
in addition to that previously employed, been placed on
those in progress, the Clydesdale Junction, Motherwell,
and Hamilton branches. The statement of the capital
account showed receipts:—Capital, 50/. a share, called
up 2,100,000/.; amount in arrear, 68,230/.i amount paid,
2,031,7701. ; new capital, 6/. ss. per share—amount
called up, 293,975/. ; amount of arrears, 101,811/.4
amount paid, 192,1631. In anticipation of calls on new
shares, 41,8541.; Clydesdale Junction, 180,066/.; total,
3,645,975/4 balance, 337,893/ ; total, 3,993,7311.; total
expenditure, 3,993,7311. The revenue account for the
past half-year showed a receipt of 93,8571., and a ha-
lance in hand of 21,4081.

The CHAMIAN addressed the proprietors in a speech
which was principally confirmatory of the report. The
liabilities that had been incurred, and 'the works that
would otherwise have been stopped, rendered it imprac-.
ticable to postpone the preference share arrangement.
As regarded the guarantees, they would call a special
meeting to consider them, and the directors were of
opinion that it would be advisable to hold some of the
meetings in London. When the mercantile community
was again in- activity,-they would receive an ample return
foe their money. The capital of c0000;0004 which they
were authorised to raise, would be sufficient to complete.
all the works.

A long discussion ensued, relative to the anonymous
letters that appeared in papers, and on the topics con-
tained in the report, in which Messrs. Blackadder,
Kynaston, Tite, Colonel Graham Campbell, Sir W .
Jardine, Hon. B. Johnstone, and others, took part ;
after which resolutions, confirming the recommendations
contained in the report, were carried, and the directors,
after a counter proposition, were re-elected.
Sir ANDREW AGNEW, in a lengthened speech, pro-
posed the suppression of all systematic and premeditated
work upon the Sabbath ; to which
Mr. CAMPBELL moved, as an amendment, that " the
resolution adopted by a former meeting be agreed to."
After a long discussion, the iuestion was put to the
vote, when there appeared against the motion 27, and
24 in its favour, the proxies being for Sir A. Agnew's
motion, 3,654, and against it 22,013.

'HE 00 ARCH.

' ADJOURNED INQUEST.
)oL, FRDA.Y!—The inquest was resumed this

Whiston Bristow said he was -formerly: in the eta-
ploy of-IV:Anderson, sem; and --Co., --of Batavia, and
was on hia way to-Cincinnati, as one of the,seeond cabin
passengers onboard the Ocesin.Monarch. - On the first
itlarnrof-fire the-captain was "standing on the-hirboard
side of the cplaiter-declrrand,vvitneas
.heard him giving
orders about the management--of the___Ship..__ Witness
saw smoke issuing from the after-ventilator, and went
.into the after cabin, which was thenafilled with srailke,
-The chief mate and witness, with 'or -three others',
lord -away the cabin- table, lind.lifted '4l44:scut*, --and
then discovered the ship was on fire, Afterwards went
on deck, and saw Captain Ifurdoch. ,He was encourag-
ing the hands to pass along the,::water as quickly as
possible. After giving some evidence respecting the
powder on board, and stating that he, with the
stewardess; endeavoured to get to the inagaline,, hut
were obliged to, retreat owing to.the smoke, the witness
said that on -again coming on deck • he 'saw 'Captain
stilt oa the Itubeard
actively engaged, and directing and assisting in roll-
ing the water casks - -art, Ten minutes could nut
have elapsed-before 'the after-part of -the ship was en-
iailames., Witness tore up some benches near
the skylight, and hove them up into the wing or side of
the-Slip, in order Riat they -might be readyfor any per-
son to take hold_ and almost in a moment
,the !Linea
'burst out of themain hatchway, and suddenly-the mid-
ship part-of the--ship ignited. On_glancing his eye aft
witness saw the I,lltea hragino. aft, and all communication
then appeared to be about.to be cut off between the after
and fore part-cf• the ship. At this -moment he-saw the
captain aft, and apparently employed-in throwing over
light loose spars. for those overboard to'-save themselves
by. After a while witness -pulled off ,liii-strousers -and
jumped overboard. Witness was the first man who WB5
picked up- by-the yacht. During the whole of this try-
ing•scene, Abe last time witness saw the -captain- he be-
haved in the most noble manner to save the ship and the
people; andh_e_eould only add his wish, that it he was
ever to be placed At such another position, that there
might be two or three other men like-him on board; he
gave his ord,ers with Coolness and judgment. lie most
decidedly said that if all the seamen had stood by the
captain and executed his orders, many more would have
been saved. -

Mr. James Moore, the carpenter, was next- examined,
and said that, in his opinion, the captain used every ex!.
ertion.to save thikhip and passengers.
The Cottesim.here said that he would again ask for
the.fourth time, if there were any, person in .Court who
had been on board- the Cambria or. the Orion steamers,
andwho- might wish to make .any_ statement _relative tni
those vessels, .bileith,respect to the co/idiot Of the cap-
tain of the Ocean Monarch. • • •,-,•
Thomas -Hillier, a seaman on board the Cambria,
stated that no man could du more than Captain Murdoch
had done, under the circumstances:-
- The CORONER said it must be very gratifying to Capt.
Murdoch to hear such a voluntary statement.
The CORONER then said they were now about to enter
into an investigation as to the truth or malice of the
statement which had been made, to the effect that the,
Cambria and Orion,might have afforded assistance had
they pia-needed to the burning ship. - He (the Coroner)
had been requested to ask for the production of the log
books of those vessels. The parties were not Wand to:
produce those, books,or anything else which might crimi-
nate or render themselves culpable, but he (the Coroner)
now asked that the books should be produced.
Thomas*Littleibile Esq., was ',next examined. He
stated that the Cambria steamer passed his yacht when
they were under• Puffin Island, and the Orion passed
them before they left Beaumaris. The ship was about
five or six miles to the eastward of the Ormahead.
About half-past twelve or a quarter to 'one o'clock,
when they rounded the head of the ship, they observed
the smoke of.the Cambria. She was going away from
them. His impression was that the Cambria was about
five or six miles from the ship. Had any other boats
have come up at the time, we think a great many more
lives would have been saved.
Cross-examined by Mr. O'Brien,- one of the owners of
the Cambria—Witness thought he saw other steamers
besides the Cambria. He did not know which steamer
was nearest to the Ocean Monarch when we got to her.
We concluded it was the Cambria, from its having passed
us in the morning._
By Mr. Wright—We had been observing the Cambria
that, morning. When off. the Ormshead, about a mile
and a half to the northward, we attempted to compare
the. different rates of speed between my own yacht and
the Cambria. She was hull down, but her fore-topsail
was handsomely above the water. Our deck is very
low, and my impression is that she was about seven miles
from us.

By Mr. Price---I do not know that the Cambria passed
the Orion. ".
By Captain Hunter • (captain of the Cambria)—When
we left Puffin Island we had the mainsail, foresail,
and jib set. We had no gaff- topsail then. We were
lying to when the Cambria passed us, getting in the
small boat.

Mr.-nice to Mr. Wiight—ls he aware that the Cam-
bria passed the Orion, and was at Liverpool half an hour
before her ?

Mr. Wright—lle cannot know that of hia own know-
ledge.
The CORONER-1 take it, that is a,sword that will cut
both ways. If she possessed suck salting powers she
was the Utter able toreeder assistuoce.

Captain Evans here exhibited to the jury a chart of
the'oater channels of the port, in order, as he said, to
point out_ the relative positions of the different vessels at
the time, to judge of the assistance they Laig b t have
been enabled Ito baTe afforded. lie then proceeded to
point out the relative positions of the Cambria, the
Oriot, • and the Prince of Wales, with- respect
to , that of the Ocean Monarch. The captain of
the Prince of Wales, stated that by the log of that vessel
he was, at twenty minutes past one, in a position to see
the ship on file, and it seemed quite evident to him
(Captain Evans) that if the Prince of Wales at that time,
from the position in which she was, could see the fire,
and could get in tinie to save life, and also saw these
vessels (the Cambria and the Orion) ahead between the
burning ship and the Prince of Wales—if she could get
up in time to be of service, that both the other vessels
might have done the same, and the whole question would
hinge upon the fact as to where they were 'at the time.
Mr. Littledale had stated at what distance he had ob-
served the .two steamers, and at the time the fire broko
out it seemed they were very near the burning ship.
Then they should next know, and it was essential to
know that, that the trading vessels generally called at
Llanillaels for passengers; and if the Cambria and Orion
had called there, it would bring their position much
nearer to the Ocean Monarch than had been described .
Mr. Littledale said they had only run three miles from
the time they saw the Cambria until they saw the ship
on fire; and by a parity of reasoning the Cambria ought
to have loeen the burning vessel also.
Edward Brimecorne, mate of the Queen of the Ocean,
said that they had been at the wreck an hour before any
other vessel came up. At that time the Prince of Wales
and the Affonso came up. Had other boats come up
t! when they did a great many more lives might have been
saved. He was enabled to trace the course the Cambria
' was pursuing from the time she went ahead of them at
Puffin Island up to the time witness observed the Ocean
Monarch. As they neared the Ocean Monarch he was
still enabled to trace the Cambria. At the time they
first saw the Ocean Monarch he could see the hull of the
Cambria. Judging from nautical miles, the Cambria
was then about six miles from them, and about four and
a half from the Ocean Monarch. There was nothing at
all to prevent the position of the Ocean-Monarch from
being seen by the Cambria. The Ocean Monarch was
lyingij intphotaisnalevanscou.7rsieipaudrscheed beyamthberiCa ambria.
y ca
d
back,
they could have, saved more lives than we did. It was an
hour after I first saw the Cambria that the Prince of
Wales•-earae up. The Cambria could have got to the
ship long before the Prince of Wales. She might have
reached the ship half an hour before us.
-By Captain llunter—l do not know the rate the
Cambria goes. Ido not know whether she goes five or
ten miles an hour. .

Thqmas Wells, piaster of the yacht, gave similar evi-
dence to Mr. Littledale and the last witness, and stated
it as his belief that had the Cambria come up a great
number of lives would have been saved.
James J3attu, mate of the Prince of.. Wales, said ho
the.Mzean Monarch on fire. The Cambria and
Orion were then making for the new channel, and they
were between the Prince of Wales and the Ocean
Monarch.
By Mr, Wright— If you had had 4Wpassengers on your
boat would you have gone, to the assistance of the ship?
Witness—Yes; if I bad had 70Q onboard I would have

. _ .
done so; '
.By .Captain Evans.--At the
time .they-left the light-
ship until tliey.got down to the burning ship there was
nothing whatever to Imo: e .
d the sic.ht , not—even at the
1 e
. . .
:
Orrashead; further out: They,!ict'alj(!ve
.100 11 , s
on hearth- - ,lauo3 •
Sarsfield--.As soon,as the smoke was dis,
covered
~.13,,v CaPieinO, comefrom the Ocean Mcnarch, the captain
gaic orders
.steer direct for the ship, and the boats
to te
Were all inado.ready for lowering.
Atter some further inquiry, the_CoaosrEp slimmed up,
and the jury returned the following verdict :--
" That the deaths of the five individuals were acci-
dental, cawed by drowning, in consequence or the ship.
Ocean Modarch-taking fire ; and that at the same time
-the jury would show their marked approbation of the
conduct of the captain,-and particularly that of the first
mate, during that most trying icene, as also the noble
mid praiseworthy efforts of the distingniabed individuals
-who signalized themselves at that, awiul catastrophe, as
well as the,ctlicers sod men under their command.
"Further, we ..
wish t.,.) e:Npress our disapprobation of
the conduct of the-rnaqers of the two steamers Orienand
Cambria; who Might, we are led to belieie, have rendered
most ellicient service to the ill-fatedpeople b rd "
on board."
.
1 . This Lmorning the two men, 4 Bithell and- Bennion,
(I were again brought before Mr. 'Welton, when Mr. Dow-
ling, the head constable, stated
.that it had been ascer-
tained- .that, a person answering the description of the
144siog one heti been landed by the Taliesin. The ma-
gistrate stated that when that fact was substantiated he
tioillrl' hand the men over to the Flintshire magistrates.
For
F this purpose they were again remanded.
[

ADVENTURES OF A LETTER.—Th'e Stamford lifer-
cury says:—Some time since a letter contibinin,,' bills of
exchange amounting to 5,0001., was posted.inLond.oh,
addressed to a banking firm at Boston. The word "Lin-
colnshire" being omitted from the iiddreSS, the letter
was put into an American bag and crossed the Atlantic
to Boston in Massitchusettsl. No .owner being found,
BroOker Jonathan honestly returned the letter, and on
Tuesday morning 1a.,2t it reached its
,proper destination,
IteSsrS, 'Gr6e and‘Co.':', Boston, Lincolnshire, after twice
traversing the Atlantic, and having caused a journey to
.Londkn,arist along and tpxious correspondence.:.,.