The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-27 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH- 27, 1851

our position with regard to local traffic, was
that they should adopt a different class of engines for
the 1,,ee1 tr ffi- in-!ep-r3cet -r .he th-migh trafflo
They hesitated to adopt my advice, and I said "I will
let you have four engines with 12-inch cylinders;
by the Ist of May next, and you shall have the
use of them for six months, without one farthing
of charge, so as to give me an opportunity of
taking care of my own property by running local trains,
and accommodating the inhabitants of the district. I
will guarantee that they shall run at a consumption of
Silba of coke per mile, instead of burning 261 be.,
which your heavy engines do at the pre-
sent moment. I will guarantee that you shall
carry, if necessary, a certain amount of goods
in addition to the passenger traffic." They agreed
to my preposition; these engines were ordered, and will
be delivered, as I have stated to you, by the Ist of May.
Now, I ask you whether we have not been prepared to do
all we could. But we were notprepared:to stultify ourselves
by entering into a blind course of policy which would
have the effect of handing over our property
for four years and a half to those who
propose the adoption of an act adverse to your
interest, and I, as an independent proprietor and oue of
the oldest shareholders, will at my own cost pursue any
course of legal proceeding necessary to put an end
to an agreement the mutuality of which has
never been disturbed by your directors, but which has
never been acted upon by the Eastern Counties Company.
The course which I:propose in this matter has not been
taken without deep refleotion. I profess to some know-
ledge of a practical character, which enables me to
come to you and say you may take the steps I recommend
without any fear of sustaining loss, and I believe you will
thank the board ever afterwards for pursuing that inde-
pendent course of conduct which only as commercial men
they can pursue.—(The Hon. Gentleman sat down amid
loud and protracted cheers.)
Mr. BARKER seconded the resolation.

Major COURT described the position in which
the company was now placed as that of the man who
locked the door after his steed was stolen. He had al-
ways objected to this agreement, but there could
be no doubt that, under its provisions, they were
bound to stick to the Eastern Counties Company until
1855. He should therefore object to the company being
put,to any expense either in taking law or other pro-
ceedings to set this agreement aside, which he contended
the Eastern Counties had strictly fulfilled. The opinion
expressed by Mr. Margrave ought to be taken as
a matter of speech and not as conveying the
real feeling of the Eastern Counties Board on the subject
of the amalgamation, or the agreement in the policy
which that company proposed in future to adopt. Still
be had no objection to adopt the permissive resolution,
provided that it was understood that no legal proceed-
ings should be taken.
Mr. PETO hoped it would not be necessary to go to law.
All that it was proposed to do was to call upon the Eastern
Counties to complete the agreement, or abandon posses-
sion of a line which they held out to the public was a
losing concern. It would be bad taste to indulge
in . threats of retiring, but the directors had
given the proprietors their best advice, and it was
for them to decide whether that advice should be
acted on or not. This was a most important
crisis in their affairs, and he had no hesitation in
declaring that unless something was immediately done
to avert such a result, there was nothing for the com-
pany but ruin.
A SHAREHOLDER asked what the cost of working was
before the line passed into the hands of the Eastern
Counties Company.
Mr. PETO said they would obtain nothing from being
pul;in possession of that information.
The CHAIRMAN, however, declared that it was much
less than what was now charged by the Eastern Counties
Company.
A SHAREHOLDER thought the interests of the com
pany could be safely entrusted to the present
board, which was composed of honourable and
business - like men, and after the lucid end
satisfactory statement of Mr. Peto he did hope the meet-
ing would unanimously adopt the resolutions which he
had proposed to them.
The CHAIRMAN hoped so, too. All he could say was,
that he perfectly agreed with the spirit and tenor of
these resolutions, and he felt that the board would ul
timately succeed in restoring the prosperity of the un-
derieking. The Secretary would read the special report
ofithe auditors.

Mr. PETO thought it right to mention that the report
of.. Messrs. Quitter upon the state of their capital account
was ready, and that it would be shortly published; also,
that all the account 3 were strictly accurate and highly
satisfactory.
dine report of the auditors were then read.
The CHAIRMAN next proposed the adoption of the
report, and confirmation of the accounts.
Major COURT moved an amendment negativing the
latter part of the motion, but he found no seconder, and
it consequently fell to the ground, and the original motion,
was carried almost unanimously, the mover of the amend-
ment being the only dissentient.
The retiring directors, Major Tyndale and Mr. Duff,
were then re-elected.

Major COURT moved that the number of auditors be
reduced to one, and the salary to 301. per annum.
The CHAIRMAN said the meeting could not entertain
the first part of the motion, inasmuch as the Act of Par-
liament required two auditors.
The motion was therefore not persevered in.
Mr. Norbury was then appointed an auditor.
.A cordial vote of thanks was then passed to Mr. Pato
for the seal and attention which he had always devoted
to the interests of the company.
Mr. PETO briefly acknowledged the compliment, and
communicated a piece of information to the meeting
which, ho thought, was exceedingly gratifying. A num-
ber of gentlemen had recently associated themselves to-
gether under the style and title of the Northern Steam
Packet Company, for the purpose of cultivating
the trade north of the Texal. The first steam-
vessel of 500 tons and 200 horse-power would
sail from Lowestoft on Saturday next, while a second
steamer was being built in the Clyde, which would be
capable of carrying 300 head of cattle, 500 sheep, and
500. pigs. These gentlemen had also arranged with the
King of Denmark for carrying the mails and developing
the. cattle traffic of that country, and the 400 or
500 head of sheep and pigs which this would bring upon
their line :would more than compensate them for the de-
ficiency which might be occasioned by the abstraction of
other companies.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the
meeting terminated.

INPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
, (THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.
COUNTY COURTS.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE presented several peti-
tions against Papal aggression from places in Notting-
bamshi. e ; also a petition praying for a further exten-
sion of the jurisdiction of county courts to Chancery

cases.
Pord BROUGHAM supported the prayer of the peti-
tion, inasmuch as the present constitution of the Court
of Chancery amounted to an absolute denial of justice
in cases in which the amount of litigation was less than
500 L He intended on Monday to introduce a Bill au-
thorising the county courts to interfere in cases which
really could not go before the Court of Chancery.
Lord LYNDHURST had, by the orders which be
bad issued, saved the suitors in Chancery 50,0001. a year.
Lord BROUGHAM could bear testimony to the suc-
cess of the exertions of his Noble and Learned Friend
in the diminution of the court foes.
FOREIGN REFUGEES.
Lord LYNDHURST rose to draw the attention of
their Lordships to what he called the reprehensible con-
duct of certain foreigners in this country. This country
had always extended hospitality to foreign refugees, but
it was the duty of those refugees to abstain from any
hostile aggressions against foreign powers. There was
in this city an association styling themselves the Central
National Italian Committee, composed of persons elepelled
from Rome after the insurrection. These persons had
opened a loan in this country for the purpose of carrying
into execution their pernicious designs of establishing a
Republic in Italy, and they issued shares for this purpose,
signed by Ala zaini and other persons. • It was suite obvious
that this was a breach of the obligation they incurred
when they came here to seek protection from our
laws, He was not so weak as to imagine that
much money would be raised for this loan in this coun-
try, but he believed money had been raised on this loan
in Parts and in Italy. It was certain this loan was ad-
vertised in this country, and he called the attention of
the Government to the subject ; and the tolerance of
these proceedings could not but draw upon us
the suspicions of foreign governments. In ad-
dition to this society there was another,
styling itself the Central Democratic European
Committee. It was formed for the avowed purpose
of exciting insurrection in Europe, and had ad-
dressed a proclamation to its partisans exciting them to
insurrection; in that insurrection they procured the zeal
of the insurgents at Vienna and Milan,'and the parties to
this proclamation were Mancini, Ledru Rollin, who as
soon as he came to this country attacked the country
which had afforded nim hospitality in the most
malignant terms, and also other persons well known in
the Polish and German insurrections. There was also
another committee to which he wished to draw attention,
it was the Central Committee of Hungarian refu-
gees, at the head of this committee was an ofii-
cer named Klapka, who, at the conclusion of the
Hungarian war, commanded at Comoro. That
committee had addressed the Hungarian soldiers
in Italy in the most shocking terms, endeavouring to
induce those soldiers to rebel against Austria. Several
of those persons had insulted the house of Austria in the
most atrocious manner.—(Hear, hear.) He was sure
the Government must be most anxious to put
an end to these unwarrantable proceedings.
What remonstrances may have been used en the
part of the Austrian Goverment must be best known to
the Members of the Government themselves; but he de-
sired to know what steps they intended to adopt to put
a stop to this scandal. He should recommend the renewal
of the act which was allowed to expire last year. If the
Government were armed with the power they had under
that Act the knowledge of that fact would be sullicient
to put a stop to their proceedings. He made these ob-
servations with no unfriendly feeling to the Government;
his only object was to point out the best mode of pre-
serving unimpaired the obligations which we had entered
into with foreign countaier.
Earl GREY regreted that he had not been aware of
the intention of the Noble and Learned Lord to bring
this subject before the House. Had he been so, he
would have placed himself in communication with
hise,Nobie Friend the Seeretary for the Foreign
Dephriment, and his Right Honourable Friend
the: Secretary for the Home Department, whose

attention he knew had been directed to the subject, and
who were anxiouAly watching their proceedings. He
1".7t b!i) -71 cl c 1 Ih. a 3 I;
remedy except the renewal of the Act of 1848, but he
would minind their Lordships that these powers
were asked for and granted solely to ensure the
safety of this country, and that for no other purpose
should that power be exercised. As to whether those
powers should be exercised for any other purpose he
would not now express an opinion; but he would say
that nothing but the most flagrant and urgent necessity
would justify the Parliament in granting as the Go-
vernment in accepting such additional powers.
Lord LYNDHURST was satisfied with the explana-
tion.

The Earl of ABERDEEN thought the Noble Earl
ought to have expressed his disapprobation of their
proceedings, because out of doors great doubt was
entertained on the subject, it would be satisfactory
to the different powers of Europe to have a declaration
of disapprobation from this Government.
Earl GREY felt humiliated in being called on in that
manner by the Noble Earl.—(Loud cheers.) It .was
clear that strangers accepting refuge in:thie countryhad no
right to abuse that hospitality for pnrposes such as that
alluded to by the Noble and Learned Lord, and he
thought that when he said the attention of his Noble and
Right Hon. Friend had been directed to the subject that
their Lordships would understand that the Government
distinctly disapproved of the proceedings to which, the
Noble and Learned Lord had alluded.

vernment was concerned itwas an independent state, and
this country had no claim upon it.
THE ek:NbUti EOR: 1851.

Mr. GOULBURN wished to ask the Right lion. Ba.
roziet the lltme Secretary, whether he would give an
assurance that, in the cases of clergymen who refused to
answer the questions as to tithes and income contained
in the papers issued for the taking of the census, Govern-
ment would not seek for the information from other
quarters.
Sir G. GREY declined to give any such assurance.
DESIGNS EXTENSION BILL.
Mr. RICARDO put a question to the President of the
Board of Trade as to how many persons it was expected
would take advantage of the Designs Extension Bill?
Mr. LABOUCIIERE said that not having had notice
of the question, he could not answer it with exactness,
but he could say that a great number of persons both at
home and abroad were looking forward to the passing of
this measure with great anxiety.
Mr. RICARDO said ho would r€peat the question to-
morrow.

SAVINGS BANKS.
Mr. HENRY HERBERT wished to inquire when it
was the intention of the Government to bring in a Bill
for the alteration of the law respecting savings banks.
During the last session an allowance had been made by
the First Lord of the Treasury that some such law was
absolutely necessary, but no intimation had this session
been given of the intention to lay such a Bill upon the
table.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that a Bill was in a very forward state,
and if the business of the House proceeded a little faster
than it had hitherto done he might be able to bring the
matter before the House before the end of the session.
Mr. H. HERBERT begged to give notice that unless
a Bill was shortly laid on the table by the Government
he should feel it to be his duty to introduce the subject
to the House, with a view of improving the law with
respect to savings banks, and especially with the object
of relieving the depositors who had been reduced to des-
titution by the failure of savings banks in Ireland.
FREEDOM OF DE BATE.-ASPERITY OF
EXPRESSION DURING THE CATHOLIC
DEBATE.

Mr. GRANTLEY BERKELEY wished to ask whe-
ther it was competent to the House to reconsider the
resolution with respect to the freedom of debate. His
object was to ascertain whether there were no means of
preventing that asperity of language, which had been
indulged in during the late debate, and stopping that
which was felt to be not only insulting to Members of
that House collectively, but also individually.—(Cheers.)
The SPEAKER said that the freedom of debate
was established on the very law on which the basis
of the House itself was established, and there-
fore, every Member was entitled to speak as freely
as was consistent with the privileges which those laws
conferred. It was, however, unquestionable that un-
necessary strength of language might be repressed
either by one member or several members collec-
tively, moving that words likely to be insulting to
one or more members should be taken down
and expunged from the debate.—(Loud cries of " Hear,
hear.") He had himself observed that terms of unneces-
sary asperity had been used in the late debate, but ho
trusted and believed that they would not be renewed.

The subject then dropped.
IMPROVEMENT OF TOWNS (IRELAND) BILL.
In reply to Mr. REYNOLDS,
Sir W. SOMERVII‘LE said that he did intend to add
more names to the Committee of this Bill.