The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-28 00:00:00

SHREWSBURY AND BIRMINGHAM.

Mr. R. SCOTT, tin' chetrinen of the Committee of
Shareholders appointed on the 12th of February lase to
reopen negotiations with the London and North-
Western Company, has addressed a letter to the share-
holders in reference to the arrangement proposed by the
Great Western Company tor leasing the line, in which
be states that,
.upon a careful investigation, that com-
mittee found that, from the opening of the line, the affairs
had been so mismanaged that the proprietors could have
little hope of a dividend except throught a friendly ar-
rangement with the London and North- Western Come
parry, and the 'withdrawal of that reckless competition
which involved a heavy loss upon great part of their
traffic. On the 12th of March the proprietors approved
of the proceedings of the committee, and of the arrange-
ment then submitted for consideration. At their subse-
quent mewings they confirmed that arrangement by very,
large majorities. After having thus, by repeated reso-
lutions, entered into and finally and formally concluded
an agreement, they are now asked by Mr. Gore and hie
parry to rescind their resolutions, forfeit their pledges,
and break a solemn compact entered into in obedience to
their orders, and confirmed by them in general assembly,
after the fullest di-cuesion, and notwithstanding the most
virulent and unju.tifiable opposition recorded'in railway
annals.. Before ceming to any determination in refer-
ence to the resolutions so lately passed, ho, requests
their serious consideration of the terms offered by the
Great Western Company. For the first four years the
terms offered under both arrangements are nearly equal
though there will be a balance of 1 per cent. in favour
of the London and North-Western agreement if the
trial year be postponed to the fifth year. He states
that the minimum capital of the three companies which
it is proposed to unite by the contemplated amalgation
with the Great Western, amounts to 19,992,7001.,
with an annual charge of 859,9501, including 4 per
cent. on the ordinary capital, the preference charges
of each company, and the interest on loans ; the
Shrewsbury and Birmingham capital being 1.156,7001.,
annual charge 51,8851; the Shrewsbury and Chester,
capital 1,421,000/, annual charge 65,8401; and the Great
Western capital 17,415,000/, with an annual charge of
742,2251.; showing that to pay a dividend of 41. per cent.
on the ordinary share capital of the amalgamated com-
panies, it will . require a nett receipt of 859,9501. per
annum; or, inclusive of working expenses, a traffic of
1,456,0001. per annum. The Shrewsbury and Chester
and Shrewsbury and Birmingham companies have not
hitherto earned any dividend on their ordinary share
capital, and the Great Western dizidend is but at the
rate of 4 per cent. on 8,072,0001., equal to only 323,0001.
per annum., notwithstanding that the revenue of 'bat
company is now relieved by charging interest to capital
to the amount of at least 150,000/ per annum. Before
the Great Western can unite themselves to the line, they
must raise upwards of three millions of money to pay
for and complete the lines from Oxford, aril Birmingham,
to Wolverhampton, besides their other liabilities And
to all these engagements the Shrewsbury and Birming-
ham line and capital will be pledged under the proposed
amalgamation; so that, from being the line with
the smallest debt, they would become the line with
tbe largest debt, compared with .the capital, in the
kingdom. After adverting to the effect of a reduction
of fares on the Great Western Railway as a con-
sideration for obtaining their Birmingham and Stafford-
shire lines, he states that if the proposed amalgamation
be carried it must lead to a competition, at greatly re-
duced rates, not only from Birmingham to Liverpool,
but also throughout the whole of the Great Western
' district; that the Shrewsbury and Birmingham and the
Chester companies have had ample experience of the no
profit and no dividend attending traffic obtained by such
means. The London and North-Western Company have
gone through their difficulties, have capitalised their en-
gagements, and are prepared for the contest with funds
in hand and a considerable surplus. Looking to the fate
of the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton share-
holders under their agreement with the Great Western
Company, and to the anxiety of that company to rid
themselves of the burdens between Oxford and Birming-
ham, it behoved them to pause before they placed their
property in a similar position. He begs them to reflect,
whether they will prefer uncertainties and dangers, with
no dividend until the year 1852, to a clear and fixed
dividend of 3,3 i, and 4 per cent., commencing immedi-
ately, and payable for 21 years, after which period they
will have a valuable and unincumbered property, and
states that the proposed agreement with the London and
North-Western Company is drawn under the advice of
eminent counsel, and in their opinion it will be un-
doubtedly valid and binding upon all parties.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS
BRISTOL, APRIL 26.

STOCK EXCHANGL—The share market was very flat to-
day, and prices lower. The transactions were as follow.--
Great Western, buyers 8734, sellers, 86'4—Ditto, New 171.
Shares, buyers 234, sellers, 21/2 dis.—Midland Stock, buyers
63, sellers 6314—South-Eastern and Dover, buyers 27141,
sellers 27%.

LIVERPOOL, APRIL 26.
&vow EXCHANOL—The share market was very dull to-
day, and prices had a downward tendency. The transac-
tions were as follow : —Aberdeen, 14 Vi Caledonian, 'ls—
Lancashire, 17—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 621/1_
Ditto, Fifths, 6 11-16 dis.—Ditto, 201. F Shares, 114 dis.—
Lancaster and Carlisle, Thirds, 103„1 p. —London and North-
Western. New Quarters, 514 p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and
Lincolnshire, 3al/2 —Midland, 63.14—Ditto, Halves, 131% dis.
—North British, 10—North Staffordshire, 6% dis. - South-
Eastern and Dover, 275 7:Great Southern and Western, 42%.

THE EXECUTION AT KIRKDALE.
LIVERPOOL, APRIL 26.—Pearick Lyons, wao with his
wife, was at tke last assizes sentenced to be hanged sor
the murder of Peggy Fahey at Warringtois expiated
his off-nee on the scaffdd at Kirkdala Gaol to-day.
Since his condemnation Lyons has paid the most de-
' vout attention to his religious duties, expressing the
utmost ciintrition for his crime, and being quite resigned
and prepared to meet his fate. On Thursday he had an
interview with his sister. The parting scene was very
affecting, but nothing material passed between them. On
the following day he took a last farewell of his wife, and
intimated his intention to declare her innocence on the
scaffold. By twelve o'clock a large crowd was assem-
bled to see the executien, but not so large by several
thousands as on the occaidon of Gleeson Wilson's exe-
cution. Lyons had been engaged in devotional prepa.
ration in the interior of the prison. Pausing occa-
sionally, be paced up and down the room, and more than
once expressed impatience, at what app ared t ) him the
unnecessary delay in car eying out the sentence of the
law. He did not betray the slightest apprshensien
regarding his approaching end. When Calcraft
(who arrivad in Liverpoil on Friday afternoon)
entered the room the criminal saluted him with a
familiar nod, accompanied by a peculiar smile. He
submitted to the op- ration of pinioning with the same
fortitude, which had characteri.ed his previous conduct.
On the way he nodded to several of the turnkeys, cheer-
fully bale them a final adieu and God bless them."
He carried in his band a small hook, which was given
to him at his own request, and a crucifix. At the toot
of the gallows he knelt down and repeated after the
priest, " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit;
Lord Jesus, receive my soul." Imne diately on mount-
ing the sc,ffold he turned quickly round aed looked up
at the beam, from which the small chain to which the
n iose is attached was suspended. He eyed it for a few
seconds, and again facing the concourse of people he
bowed twice or thrice. As Calcraft was . about to draw
the cap over the eyes of the criminal he intimated that
he wished to address the people. He spoke distinctly,
sometimes pausing, as it were, to recollect what he had
intended to say. His address ran as follows:—"
dear brethren,—l'm sorry for what I have done, and I
confess to the Almighty God, and all here to-day, I
firmly believe I em guilty of this murder; anti I firmly
believe my poor wife is innocent, 014 innocent as a child.
Lord have mercy upon her! Here is the hand that has
done the murder; here is the body that has committed
the sin. (A pause.) Thank God that I am willing to
suffer; but my suffering is nothing. I am willing to
nail my hand to the tree; lam willing to drag me be-
tween four horses; lam willing to put me in the fire
and burn to ashes—for the sake of my soul, because I
knew I was doing wrong; I knew that I had committed
a sin. And, my dear brethren, what must be the
cause of this? I neglected my mass; I neglected God;
I neglected my prayers morning and evening, and, only
for I did this, I would not be buffering here to-day for
•such a guilty crime. My dear Christians, let this be a
warning for ye, and learn to be wise in this world. I
hope in my Saviour Jesus Christ for salvation, and the
Blessed Virgin to pray for me, and all good Christians.
(Another pause.) I expect you will pray for me to-day,
and I trust in God he will listen to me, and the Hoty
Virgin Mary, and the angels in heaven. Pray for me
this day. My dear Christians, learn to be wise in this
world: We - are here to-day and gone to-morrow.
(The criminal again paused.) The gentlemen of this
place were very kind to me, especially the governor. I
am very mush obliged to him, and thank him for his
kindness. My poor wife lies in here, and grieves very
much about this. May the Lord deliver her from gaol."
Here there was a pause, and the doomed man seemed
to intimate to Calcraft that he bad finished what he had
to say, and in another moment he was launched into
eternity. The greater portion of the crowd then dis-
persed. After hanging the usual time the body was cut
down and buried in the gaol.

We learn that during the morning, Bridget Lyons,
the wife, remained in prayer in her cell. She was much
aff.,cted when informed that the extention had taken
place, and that her husband had exonerated her.