The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-23 00:00:00

E-V'ENINGI AUGUST 2.33

GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY.
(This Day.)

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held this
morning at the London Tavern, 13ishopsgate-street—
Mr. E Dennison in the chair.
The report of the directors, with the accounts, which
have already appeared in The Sun, were taken as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in addressing the slaarAolders,
gratulated them on the satisfactory position of the corn-
pany, which he said he considered was exemplified in
the fact that the original shareholders stuck by the ship
and did not sell her--during the past half-year they had
added but 30 shares to the list. (Hear ) The directors
had been very careful over the shareholder's money,
not one payment of 1001. or 1501. being made by them
without the greatest scrutiny by the board. The secu-
rities in cash held by the board up to the 30th of June
amounted to 262,262/. Os. 6d., and the preference capi-
tal not called up amounted to 400,0001., and the board
hoped to be able to do without calling up that amount
for a considerable time. (Hear, hear.) After alluding
to the gross receipts and expenditure of the line for the
past half-year, which have already been published, be said
the directors proposed a dividend of 3i per cent., which
would leave a balance of 1551. 14,. 8 I. to be carried to
the next half-year. He moved the reception and adop
tion of the report and accounts.
Mr. PARKE seconded the motion.
After some remarks from Mr. V. Knight, relative to
matters of finance,
Mr. HUGHES expressed his opinion that if strict eco-
nomy were observed in the management of the line,
there would be a larger dividend for the shareholders.
He thought it would be much better for all were the
number of directors lessened, and expressed an opinion
that it was not advisable for the company to subscribe
towards the proposed metropolitan line. He also called
attention to the disparity in the rates of payments to
the officials, which required attention, and concluded by
expressing an opinion that, on the whole, the report
was satisfactory.

Mr. GIESAR called attention to the working expenses
of the line, amounting to 49.77 per cent., whilst the Lon-
don and North-Western was only 40 per cent., and the
London and South-Western much less. If the working
expenses had been reduced to the working expenses of
the latter line their dividend would have been at the
rate of 5,1 per cent. (Hear, hear.) Since the appoint-
ment of a committee by the London and North-
Western to investigate the affairs of the company
a sum of 70,0001. had been saved. After adverting
to the sum of 1,600,000/. on stock, he proposed the
appointment of a committee of 12 shareholders, not di-
rectors of the company, to investigate into the affairs
of the company and report thereon.
A PROPRIETOR seconded the motion.

Mr. PLIMAIOLL attempted to address the meeting, but
as he was not a registered shareholder the meeting re.
fused to hear him.

The CITAIRMAN said the working expenses of the line
were not greater than those of a number of other lines
that appeared to be less. It was the practice of the
Great Northern to charge everything to the working ex-
penses that legitimately belonged to them. Until a uni-

vereal system was adopted for working railways, it would
be impossible to came to a clear understanding in the
matter. He could bear testimony to the desire of all
cbnnected with the line to keep down expenses.
The report and accounts were then received and
adopted.

The following resolutions were then agreed to :
"That a dividend be declared for the half-year ended
30th June, 1856, as follows, payable to the proprietors on
the Register of the Company on the 26th July, 1856 :
At the rata of 5/. per cent. per annum upon the Perpetual
Preference Stock of the Company; at the rate of Si. per
cent. per annum upon the 5 per cent. Preference Stock of
the Company, redeemable at a premium of 101. per cent. ;
at the rate of 4/. 10s. per cent. per annum upon the 4} per
cent. Preference Stock of the Company, redeemable at a
premium of 10/. per cent.; at the rate of 51. per cent. per
annum upon the 5 per cent. Preference Stock of the Com-
pany, redeemable at a premium of 5/. per cent. • at the
rate of 3/. 10s. per cent. per annum on the Original Undi-
vided Stock of the Company, being for the half-year 1/. 15s.
per cent. ; and at the rate of 3/. 10s. per cent. for the half-
year upon B Stock, towards 6 per cent. per annum, as
guaranteed by A Stock."
" That the directors be, and hereby are, authorised to
convert into ' Great Northern Railway Debenture Stock,'
any portion or the whole amount of the mortgage debt of
the company, from time to time, and upon such terms as
they may consider advisable, in accordance with the pro-
visions of `The Great Northern Company's Increase of
Capital Act, 1853."
The Chairman next moved :

" That the directors be, and hereby are, authorised to
expend a sum not exceeding 7031. for the erection of a
school-room at New England, Peterborough, for the chil-
dren of the mechanics and labourers in the company's
employ there."

He said it was necessary, for the convenience of the
men, that cottages should be erected at New England,
and it was desirable a school should be erected for
the 200 children belonging to them.

Agreed to.

Mr.
Giear's motion for a chnmittee ;vas nega,ivea,
and a vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the

business.

A SAILOR'S WEDDING.—An action has been brought
in the Whitechapel County Court for the recovery of
7/. 10s. 9d., said to be due to Wallis, by Jack Oliver, a
sailor. The plaintiff kept a public house in \Yapping,
a d defendant, who is a thorough specimen of an
English sailor, contrived to get married while he was
lodging at the plaintiff's house, and the sun now claimed
was for the good things supp ied for a jollification on
that happy occasion. Jack Oliver had run out all his
money before he shipped, and had promised to settle with
his landlord on his return to England. Mr. Oliver was
questioned as to his fitness to take the obligations of an
oath. "Let Jack Oliver speak with his honour, the
captain. Hands off you runaway shark. Captain, I
haven't got my land legs yet, and that's how your
bo'swain here thinks Jack Oliver got more liquor
aboard than paid duty. (Laughter) Now, as to this
here matter, why, may I sail in a teetotal ship to
the tropics if I know anything at all about it. The
landlord rays as how I was married—if so, I have
no recollection. Mayhap Master Wallis will be so
good as to tell hie who I was spliced to, and where Mrs.
()dyer is to be found." (Loud laughter.) Here a lady
in the body of the court, attired in the true East End
style, " Here I is, Jack, safe and sound as a rock."
(Roars of laygliter.) Mr. Oliver—" Pull up tbat veil,
and let's have a.leok at your figurehead. (Laughter ,
Can't say as how I ever seed you afore, but I s'pose
you've come here to swear agin this grog reckoning."
(Laughter.) Mrs. Oliver—" It's a long bill, your honour,
but my husband treated everybody for three days. and I
don't think Mr. Wallis would rob him." Mr. Oliver—
" Will you go so far as to swear I was actually married
to you !" (Laughter.) Mrs. Oliver—" On my oath I
was, Jack, and here's the lines to prove it." (Laughter.)
Mr. Oliver—" Then all I can say is this here ; if I'd
known on such a circumstance I'd steered cleltr of the
port of Lond ,n. (Laughter.) Captain, I must have been
led into this affair when I was too drunk to know what
I was about ; but, if so be as you says I am married, and
did have a weddin', Jack Oliver knows bow to obey
orders." (Laughter.) The Judge—"l have nothing to
do with your being married, but, if it is any eatLfac-
tion to you, my opinion is that you did marry this
lady." Mr. Oliver—"No satisfaction, your honour." The
Judge—" You must pay the money." Jack left the
c urt, but would not have anything to do with his
found wife. —Stamford igiTCU
THE "RUSSIAN SOLDIERS AT T IRERIIAN. Captain
Hodasee iota late in the Russian service, in a work by
him recently published, " A Voice from within the
Walls of Sebastopol," says :—" Cleee to me (at the at-
tack on Inkerman heights) stood a young ensign of the
name of Protopoff, and, seeing that he looked dull, I
asked what was the matter. !' said he, ' tell my
uncle to write home, and say that I was killel at the
battle of Inkerman.' His uncle was in our regiment. I
told him that he ought not to joke like that, for don't
you see the day is ours ? I had hardly time to pronounce
these words before he was struck in the left side by a
rifle ball, and died almost immediately. Shortly
aLer this I received a blow on the left shoulder
from a small stoma and I heard from all sides cries
that the Ekatherinenburgers are killing Us r I asked
what was the matter, and at the same instant a
man fell dead beside me. I ordered the men who were
near me to see where he was shot. They said in the
back of the head, so there could be no longer any doubt.
Taking with me si_x men of my company, I went down
to the regiment of Ekatherinenburg, which I fiend shout
half-way down the hill in a disorganised mass, and firing.
On my asking them what they were firing at, they said
they were firing over our heads. 'How can you be
firing over our heads when you are killing our army ?'
I tried to reason with them, and persuade them if they
would not advance at least to cease firing, when a man
stepped out and fired close to me. I could contain my -
self no longer, but began to belabour him with the flat
of my sword, when I saw a major coming up to me and
I rushed to meet him. ' What on earth are you about ?
Why don't you look to your men ? Why don't you ad-
vance ? If you won't advance, at least order your men
to cease firing, for they are killing sa The major said,
in a plaintive voice, What can Ido when they have
killed more than half of us ?' Thinking he meant the
enemy, I said, And is that a reason why you should
kil your own people ?' raid be, 'it is they,'
painting to the men, who have shot us ; lam the
only field officer left, and what can I do with such rut-
flans ?"It is a shame, Mr. Major,' raid I, to fear
your own men !' We were joined by an officer from
the regiment of Borodino, who added his remonstrances
to mine, but without effect. The major left tea and
went farther down the hill out of the way. I returned
again to the battery, but here reigned such confusion
that it was impossible to distinguish the men of my own
regiment. Sudden y a cry was rei:ad that we were
out flanked ; I shouted for the men of my company,
but it was of no use, and the sergeant-major said they
were mixed up with the others, and that it would be
impossible to pertra4

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—(T) us Day.)

BOW-STREET,

CREATING A DISTURBANCE AT THE A WAX 111 THEATRE.
—A very respectably-attired young woman, who gave
the name of. Mary Ford, was placed before Mr. Henry,
charged with creating a disturbance in tl w pit if the
Adelphi Theatre.
Police-constable, 162 A, stated that last eight the
young woman at tho bar paid for admission to the pit of
the Ade►phi Theatre, and on reaching the it eats she be-
gan to create a disturbance. He begged of her to re-
main quiet, and not to disturb the audience, or he should
be under the disagreeable necessity of taking her into cus-
tody. The prisoner refused to desist, and as she was
passing backwards and forwards to her seat she kept
calling out, "Go it old fellow," " All serene," "Go it
my hearty," and such like expressions. Fanding it was
impossible to persuade her to remain quiet, he took her
into custody, and on his attempting to rem)ve her from
the theatre she became very violent—indeed so much
so that another constable was sent for to assist him in
conveying the prisoner to the station-house.
Mr. Henry—Well, what have you to say to the charge
of creating a disturbance ?
The woman hung down her head and made no rep'y.
Mr. Henry said it was to be regretted that prisoner
had conducted herself in the manner described, and a
person entering a theatre in a state of intoxication
would not be allowed to disturb the rest of the audience.
Conduct like that of the prisoner admitted of no excuse,
and as she had behaved so violently to the police, he
should fine her 102., or a week's imprisonment.
MORE FRUIT STEALING IN COVENT GARDEN MARKET.
—John Davis, a costermonger, was charged with steal-
ing a seive of greengages of the value of 7s. from the
stand of Mr. Abraham Isaacs, a salesman in Covent-
garden Market.

Louis Levy stated that this morning he was busily
engaged at the stand of his emplcyer, Mr. W. Almond,
in Covent-garden Market, when he observed three men,
of whom the prisoner was one, loitering about the mar-
ket. Suspecting that they were intent on committing
a robbery, he continued to keep his eye upon them,
and in a very short time after he observed the
prisoner go up to the stand of Mr. Isaacs and walk off
with a seive of greengages. He allowed him to walk
with the basket about a hundred yards, and then went
up to him and accused him of stealing the fruit he had
in Lis hands. He (prisoner) stated he had paid for the
greengages, but he (witness) knowing such not to be
the case, he requested him to return with him to Mr.
Isaacs. He did so, and Isaacs said that he had not sold
the greengages to him, and he was consequently given
into custody.

Mr. Abraham Isaacs stated that the basket of
greengages was his property, and had been stolen from
his stand that morning. The prisoner never paid
him any money for the fruit, indeed he had not even
asked the price of it. He bad lost a great quantity of
property lately, and he was determined to prosecute
every case with the utmost rigour of the law. The sales-
men in the market were robbed to an immense amount
every market morning, and they had determined in
order, if possible, to put a stop to the practice to punish
every case. His (Mr. Isaac's) neighbour, Mr. Almond,
had that morning lost two seives of fruit. The plan
upon which the thieves entered was that one of their
party should engage the attention of the owner
of the property by asking the price of dif-
ferent things, while his companion made off
with whatever be could lay his bands on. He was
positive he had not sold the greengages to the man at
the bar. Besides, they were not the sort of things that
men of his class would purchase ; the price was too high
for them.

In answer to the charge, the prisoner said he had
bought the greengages of Mr. Isaacs, and had paid him
for them.

Mr. Henry said he must try and make a jury believe
that. The robberies in Covent•garden Market had be-
come so frequent that he had determined to do all he
could to put down the evil, lie should therefore com-
mit the prisoner for trial for felony.