The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-30 00:00:00

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RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
Plats AND LYONS.—It appears that a new con-
cession for the comp!etion of this line is to be granted
on Saturday next. The total capital is to be
8,000,000/. Tne terms of the concession are, a lease
of 99 years, a guarantee of 4 per cent. per annum
during 50 years upon the entire capital of 8,000,0001.,
from the completion of the undertaking. At the end
of 15 years from the latter event, one-half the net
profits above 8 per cent. per annum will belong to the
State. The payment by the company of 4,400,0001.
to the State as the purchase money of the works from
Paris to Chalons, and the reimbursement of 160,0001.
expended on the works south of Chalons, is to be
made in the following manner—namely, 400,0001. on
receiving the concession, 400,0001. more on taking
possession of the line, 960,0001. at the end of 1852,
and the remainder 2,800,0001. in annual payments
commencing in 1853, extending over a period of some
years, and chargeable with interest at the rate of 4 per
cent. per annum. The length of the line from Paris
to Lions i 3325 miles, of which 244 miles, from Paris
to ChalOns, have been open for traffic since the Ist of
Janela.et. The remeining portion of the line, from
Chalons to Lyons, 81 miles in length, is to be com-
pleted by the new company. The original estimate of
the cost of the entire line amounted to 8,000,0001,"
that cm runt has been already expended on the section
between Paris and Chalons. The French Govern-
ment has also expended about 160,000/. on the re-
maiing section between Chalons and Lyons, which
section, with other matte"rs, is estimated to cost
3,600,0001., including the 160,000/. to be reimbursed
to the State. In order to obtain the extension of the
line to Lyons, the Government intended to concede
the section from Paris to Chalons, upon which
(led, for 4,400,0001., so
8,000,0001. has been execu
that the company will htive to provide 8,000,0001.,
of which 2,400,0001. is to be borrowed. The
receipts on the line from Paris to Chalons, since
its opening in June to the 22d of November last,
amounted to 671,112/., being at the rate of
2,8201. per mile per annum. Of the total amount re
ceived, 509,112/. was for passengers, and but 162,0001
for goods, 6nsequence, as it is alleged, of the
arrangements for the latter being imperfect. The
receipts for goods oh the Paris and Orleans, the
Paris and Rouse, and the Northern Railways being
about the same as that for passengers, it is estimated
that when the arrangements are completed the gross
traffic on that section will not be less than 3,8401. per
mile, or 936,0001. per annum. The traffic from
Chalons to Lyons is estimated at 2,5601. per mile, or
208,000/. per annum, together 1,144,0001. The
working expenses are estimated at 514,8001., or 45
per cent, leaving 629,200/. per annum as the esti-
mated net revenue, being equal to 9 per cent. on the
proposed capital of .5,600,000/., after paying 5 per
cent. on the 2,400,0001. proposed to be borrowed.
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN AND LANCA-
SHIRE AND YORKSHIRE.—These companies have been
for some years past running trains over their lines
from INlanchester to Liverpool in competition, the
trains of each starting at about the same periods of
the day, thereby throwing away much locomotive
power without advantage to the public (except so far
as intermediate station traffic is concerned), but by
an arrangement now entered into they are reducing
their trains by one-half, and starting them alternately
so as to divide the traffic and reduce their expendi-
ture. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Company, from
the date of this arrangement, the Ist of January, will
also run from the same station as the London and
North-Western—namely, the Victoria Station, in
Manchester.
LONDONDERRY AND ENNISKILLEN.—It appears that
the Exchequer Loan Commissioners have at length
granted a loan to this company of 50,0001, to enable
them to proceed with the extension of the line to
Omagh. The necessary preparations are being made
to let the contract for the works between Newtown-
stewart and Omagh.
UNIFORM OR RAILWAY TIME.---It is proposed, by
means of the electric telegraph, to regulate all the
resbli clocks throughout the kingdom in accordance
with Greenwich, or railway time. Precisely at noon
the signal indicating Greenwich time, as observed by,
the great electric clock in the central station, Loth-
bury, is to be sent over the various lines of wire,
giving at an ieapprecisble interval the exact time at
every terminus.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,—Being of opinion that this country will sink
into a third-rate power when it loses its colonies, I
am sorry to observe the pains taken by the Colonial
office to irritate our dependencies, and apparently to
force emigration to the United States of America.
Und,r a despotic or republican form of government
every effort would be made to induce emigration to
our colonies, the best safeguard against such costly
affairs as the Kafir war ; but our atiatoeracy (who
are, in fief, our rulers) think all is accomplished that
conc(-rna them when a colony is established, and the
wird places created. That our colonies are loyal is
proved by the large account of misgovernment to
which they have hith-rto submitted, but to prevent
the British empire front being dismembered, we must
let the colonies govern and protect themselves. They
would adopt our gelid laws, :and for our bad and
costly ones !abitituto the better laws cf the
United Sta'e3. If chocle to have bad Ilws, I
don't see v; by we should force them en cur coloni 5.
Our dcpericencies could (14. end themselves on Lr.d,
bytter and cheaper than we could do it for them.
As to the navy, it ought to be supported by the
whole empire in proportion to the population, as it
would be pre ferohle to a asp irate navy for each
colony. It is hopeless to look for much improvement
in our colonial system until we have another Reform
Bill. I wig, however, just notice another abominable
abuse connected with our colonies—that of making
extensive grants of land by the Colonial-office, and
never ascertaining whether the conditions attached
to those grants hove ever been complied with. I
believe grants have been made to companies in
British America (especially in New Brunswick)
where no attempt is made to send out emigrants, and
the shareholders look for the improvement of their
property by settler:, occupying the land adjoining
the-irs. Such an obstruction to improvement would
not be tolerated in the United States.

I gin, Sir, &0.,
A CONSTANT READER.

CONVICTION FOR DRUNKENNESS.

TO TILE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The law applical-.)1, to drunkenness (which
is a very ancient one) requires repealing, and a new
enßctment in its stead. As it stands the offender
may be fined 53. and costs, and if not paid in seven
days, his goods may be distrained for the penalty (if
not the costs), and if he hava no goOds, to be placed
in the stocks for six hours ; and if he goes through
that ordeal for the penalty, the costa cannot be en-
forced.

No magistrate, at the present day, would enforce
his conviction by Placing the offender in the stocks,
and for obvious rea3ons. The ordeal (a 3 in a case of
common assault, or the like), ought to be punished by
commitment, at once, on non:paymcat of the penalty
and expenses, 11‘:r want 01 this remedy many go
unpuuUed, either in pocket or person.
I am, Sir, &c ,
JUSTICE.

Dec. 26, 1851.

SUGGESTIOj,‘TS TOWARDS A SIMPLE AND
CO•IPREFIENSIVE MEASURE OF "CHAN-
CERY REFORM." LY A BARRISTER.
(ADDITIONAL.)

1. That when the defendant purposes to set up a
suNAtantive case in ensWer to the claim of the plain-
tol,ll, shall; in like manner, propose "f,!cts for ad-
and shall also give notic::! of his intention to
Ellbj4-":t 'Oda iff to examination at the trial ; and
furnish the--1,1„,
of persons whose
testiln"nY he 'At otts'to use
2. That the °° warrant "to consider the decree"
shall be the decree itself ; and tho only ,6 state of
fac%" that which is (14,losed by the evidence, or rests
Dr) the admission of parties to the cause.
3. 'not " facto" so su‘.Ata.tit'littt!il on oath, and re-
cognised as preyed, and "tact„..
~tl,lwrhich, having been
admitted, revired no proof,
be considered to
require no further corroboration
"a ffidavit."
4. That when an " dilthstir ,17%x1cl constitute a
ground of motion for " "'rine II oorninthe7 into court,"
such "payment" 811111 1)0 ;n4( e requisition of
the plaintiff; and tha!:, in
the elect of an
to the Court bieowing necessary, through th°l4%iittllecnt
ur refusal of the defendant, the costs thereby ote%
sioned shall be paid immediately by such defendant.
5. That the same rule shall be applied to the de-
posit or exhibition of books and documents.
6. That it; shall clearly appear, from the examina-
tion of a party, or the te3ti:nony of witnesses, that
any fact:,, not admitted, and relevant to the issue,
when within the knowledge of such party, he shall
be liable to the costs incurred in the proof of such
" Lets" without reg. ,rd to the result of the cause.

AWKWARD POSITION OF A. CHRISTMAS PARTY.—
The express to Exeter broke down on Wednesday night,
midway betweea Bridgewater and Taunton, in consequence
of the engine becoming disabled, from what cause is not
ascertaioed. Tile train, which was well fille 1 with passen-
ge-.s, many of whom were hastening to meet their friends,
was cl-Lineil in one 6pot for nearly three hours, and did not
reach Taunton until 1.30, instead of 9.22, as advertised The
p,tesengers burg it fora time lyitil much good humour, but at
last they lo,t their temper, and many threatened to open
s,,ine of the Christmas parcel:, for the lonely spot prevented
their obtaining refresbruents. Some made speeches de-
°titers lighted a fire to warm them-
n uncing the directors;
e enlivened them by some sprightly airs on the
selves ; one ' I f b •
cornet-a-piston ; wIII.S.
,callers, rifled to a degree by the
unexpected delay, annoyed the guards by so many importu-
nities that, at last, guard 4, stoker,
and all, declined ant
swering any question at all. The uncomfortable feeling a
for convivial
that time of rug hi, with hearts beatinis_. heigh .
must have
meetings, can scarcely
remained in that positiobne o described. 'IDI
_tre.„,
t... the arrival of the down. mail
from London (due at three o'clock), but for the arrival of a
down go,,ds train with two engines, one of which was put
on the express, which then progressed on to Exeter.--Bath
Journal.