The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-17 00:00:00

SHREWSBURY AND BIRMINGHAM.

The directors issued yesterday an address to the
shareholders, mainly upon the subject of the resolu-
tion of the late meeting, pledging those who support
it to the London and North-Western agreement—a
resolution which they unequivocally condemn. They
say it has been agreed to on the faith that it is a sub-
stance while it may turn out to be a shadow, whilst
it goes the further length of placing the company
powerless in the hands of the London and North-
Western. After giving their views, the directors—
" Disclaim every desire to be otherwise than upon
friendly terms, under any circumstances, with the
London and North-Western Company, and only insist
that before they surrender your line and working stock
to that company, the proposed agreement shall be (what
the shareholders have been led to suppose it is really)
a binding agreement. The directori believe, that
if they acted otherwise, it would be a betrayal of their
trust ; they cannot suppose that any body of share-
holders—men of business—rightly understanding the
matter, would make such a eurrender, without the cor-
responding security. The directors have notice that
legal steps are now being taken to bring the validity of
this agreement before the courts of law, and if so, every
facility on their part shall be given to the most prompt
adjudication of the question. It' such an agreement can
be made valid, the directors will as promptly act in ac-
cordance with that result ; and if it shall appear to be
void, they believe that they shall not be without the ap-
proval of the shareholders at large, for having saved
their property from great confusion and loss. It is
solely with these views that they are induced to remain
in your service, and in the meantime they deprecate the
continuance of useless agitation and expense."

EDINBURGH, PERTH, AND DUNDEE RAILWAY.—
The Committee on this Bill report the preamble
proved, that no new work is sought to be executed,
and that it is not intended to raise any further ca•
pital, but to consolidate provisions in existing Acts,
and to make further provision touching the existing
share capital and loan.

DUNDEE AND ARBROATH RAILWAY.—The Com-
mittee on this Bill for enlargement of their sta-
tion at Dundee and other objects, report the pre-
amble proved.
BRITTON FERRY, DOCKS, AND RAILWAY.—The
Committee, in reporting the preamble proved, state
that the proposed capital is 60,0001. ; loan, 20,0001. ;
amount of shares subscribed, 45,000/. ; deposits paid,
6,750/. ; capital subscribed by shareholders having a
local interest, 45,0001. The Vale of Neath Railway
Company are to be permitted to subscribe to the un-
dertaking.
WATERFORD AND LIMERICK RAILWAY. The
Lords of the Admiralty have given their assent to
this company's Bill for a deviation at a saving of
expense, provided certain conditions are complied
with in crossing the River Suir.

THE SOLICITORS OF LONDON AND

THE LORD CHANCELLOR.
The following address has been presented to the
Lord Chancellor, at his residence in Eaton-square, by
Mr. Clarke, the Solicitor of the Ordnance, lat.. Pre-
sident of the Incorporated Law Society, and Mr.
Lavie, of the firm of Messrs. Oliverson, Lavie, and
Co. ; and the deputation at the same time requested
his Lordship to sit for his portrait, to be placed in the
hall of the Incorporated Law Society :

" TO THE RIGHT HON. THOMAS, LORD TRURO, LORD HIGH
CHANCELLOR OF GREAT BRITAIN, &C. _ .

" We, the undersigned attorneys and solicitors of the
superior courts, practising in the cities of London and
Westminster, beg leave to offer to your Lordship our
rcspectful congratulations on your Lordship's elevation
to the office of Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.
"We remember with feelings of no ordinary pride
and gratification that the distinguished career which has
thus been crowned by the highest dignity in the power
of the Sovereign to bestow was commenced by your
Lordship in the same branch of the profession to which
we ourselves belong.
" Having, by the exercise of great talent and in-
dustry, established an extensive practice as an attorney
and solicitor, your Lordship passed from our grade of
the profession to the bar, in the ranks of which your
Lordship rapidly attained the foremost position.
As an advocate a course of most unexampled dis-
tinction and success, during which your Lordship suc-
cessively filled the great offices of Solicitor and At-
torney-General, was terminated by your Lordship's ad-
vancement to the distinguished post of Lord Chief Jus-
tice of the Common Pleas.
" Your Lordship has now reached a still loftier ele-
vation, and for the second time only, as we believe, in the
history of the profession, its very highest dignity has
been attained by one who was, for many years, a prac-
tising attorney and solicitor.
" Some of us can personally remember the earlier
stages of this brilliant and remarkable career; many of
us have been enabled by personal experience to appre-
ciate the value to our clients of your Lordship's zealous
and indefatigable services as an advocate; and all have
witnessed the powerful ability, the unwearied industry,
and the energy, rarely equalled and never surpassed,
which were devoted by your Lordship to every cause
intrusted to your Lordship's advocacy—to the cause of
the poorest and humblest equally with that of the most
wealthy and powerful.
" Nor can we forget the unvarying courtesy and
consideration in every stage of your progress which the
members of our branch of the profession have expe-
rienced at your Lordship's hands, while engaged in the
discharge of our anxious and responsible duties.
" We cannot but feel that honours thus earned reflect
a portion of their lustre on every momber of our body,
and we see in your Lordship a conspicuous example of
greatness achieved by persevering energy and unre-
mitting diligence, directed by a vigorous understanding
to the pursuit of a noble object, and at the same time a
signal proof that under our happy constitution the
exorcise of such qualifications, united with an un-
deviating adherence to the pricciples of honour and
integrity, may bring the highest dignities of the State
within the reach of the humblest member of our pro-
fession,

" With these sentiments, we beg leave again respect-
fully to tender to your Lordship our cordial and hearty
congratulations, and to express our earnest hope that
Providence will be pleased long to continue to your
Lordship the possession of the health and strength re-
quisite for the discharge of the duties of your Lordship's
exalted station."
The address was signed by upwards of 400 soli-
citors, members of the most respectable firms in the
metropolis.
Lord Tann° returned the following answer to the
deputation :
" The presentation of this address I shall ever regard
as one of the most gratifying incidents of my life.
" Such an address from several hundred gentlemen
who constitute a largo portion of the most respectable
and estimable members of that branch of the profession
in which I commenced my career, and to which I de-
voted several of the earlier years of my
personal observation that life has been life, under whose
passed, and that
success attained which has called forth this expression
of their congratulation and esteem, is a testimony in
my behalf the value of which I cannot estimate too
highly.
" Your request that I will sit for my portrait to be
placed in the lecture-room of your incorporated society
is also very gratifying to me, and I accede to it with
great pleasure. It is indeed a pleasing reflection, which
you have kindly suggested, that the retrospect of my life,
as recorded in this address, may be followed by advan-
tages beyond the gratification which it affords to myself
individually.
" Our profession in all its departments is laborious and
arduous; but in our happy country promotion is denied
in my example, your students may see
accomplished by personal industry and exer-
tion,to
what n o
can
al ens
bes ; an d,
though unaided by patronage, and from it may
learn that the humblest subscriber upon the roll of attor-
neys is not excluded from the highest honours of the
State.
" Respectable solicitors are among the most valuable
members of society, and I am very sensible how deeply
the public is interested in the station in which they are
maintained, and the estimation in which they are held;
and, in returning my cordial thanks to the gentlemen
who have concurred in this address, I beg to assure them
of my sincere wishes for their prosperity, and that
nothing will be more congenial to my feelings than to
have it in my power to contribute to it.
"To you, Mr. Clarke and Mr. Lavie, I also return
my warm thanks for the trouble which you have taken in