The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-30 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
LONDON AND BLACKW ALL.
Yesterday the half yearly meeting of this company
was held in the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street,
at twelve o'clock ; Jos. Wilson, Esq., in the absence
from sudden illness of J. N. Daniell, Esq., the chair-
man of the directors, in the chair.
The report, which we have already given, having
been read,
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the di-
rectors' report and the reception of the accounts ac-
companying it, said it would not be necessary for
him to add anything to them, for he felt that the di-
rectors had done everything in their power to forward
the interests of the company, and had put down every-
thing clearly and intelligibly in the accounts furnished
to the proprietary. He might, perhaps, make an ex-
ception. In the report there was no mention made of
the terms of the traffic agreement made with the East
and West India Dock and Birmingham Junction
Railway Company; and this was left out advisedly,
for at the time the report was printed the negotiation
was pending, and it was only, in fact, at the eleventh
hour, that the arrangement was accomplished. The
agreement made with that company was to carry on
the traffic for twelve months, with a six months'
notice from the termination of that twelve months;
and the terms were such as would be convenient to the
two companies, an 1 88 would work agreeably, pro-
perly, and satisfactorily.—(Hear.) With this explae
nation, which was adding little, if anything, to the
report, he moved its adoption.
A PROPRIETOR asked if there was any probability
that arrangements, such as were promised last year,
for booking from the Fenchurch-street terminus to
the north of England, would be carried into effect
shortly ? Such arrangements would bring a large
accession of traffic to the Blackwell Railway.
The GELAIR3IAN said that it was not stated from any
authority that such arrangements were in progress.
In fact, nothing had been done as yet, though the di-
rectors and the shareholders might still hope to ac-
complish that desirable end. The communications
between the Blackwell and the other companies were
of the most satisfactory kind, and he hoped it would
be found that the terminus of their line would be
meet convenient for the long northern and eastern
routes.
A Pnorusuron, asked if the profit on the sale of
extension shares went properly in aid of the dividend ?
The CHAIRMAN said that profit went into the profit
and loss account, and it was for the shareholders to
decide how they should deal with that account. It
was, however, a realised profit, and considering that
they divided pretty closely, he thought it was but
justice to include it in the sum to be divided.
Mr. PALLISER condemned all connexion with steam-
boats, which he maintained had injured all railway
companies that had anything to do with them. He
urged on the directors the necessity of abandoning
system of booking through with the steam-boats,
and to allow no steam-boat company to touch the
Blackwell Railway Company's money.
The CHAIRMAN agreed that it would be very con-
venient to let every boat call at Blackwell and take
up passengers without any special arrangement ; but
the directors thought, under the circumstances, that
it was more suitable and desirable to form some con-
flexion with boats to secure return tickets, from which
great advantage was derived. Every boat was per-
mitted to take passengers from their wharf ; the di-
rectors only made special arrangements with some
boats to carry on the, through traffic.
Mr. fenva had not been very sanguine about the
North Gravesend Extension concern, and therefore he
did not regret that the Bill was thrown out by Par-
liament. He did not care a straw about the steam-
boats.—(Laughter.) if they could get anything by
them well and good. 1-la believed, however, that by
proper attention, and with the Ilaydonesquere branch,
the directors could put the company on its legs.—
( Cheers.) They were en the brick of prosperity, and
he rejoiced that there was no nonsense about keeping
back a reserve for the purpose of having funds to
fight.—(Hear, hear.) What, he asked, was the use
of singing psalms to a dead horse ?—(Laughter.) On
the attention to be paid to the H.aydon-square station
depended their hopes of prosperity.
The CHAIRMAN said that as far as regarded the
Haydon-square operation, it was in a fair and proper
posii-ion. An arrangement had been made with the
London and North Vestern Company for a begin-
ning of that traffic. By that arrangement the Black-
wall Company were to received 'ld. per ton per mile:;
that is 6d. per ton for all merchandise except small
parcels. The arrangement was reported to the share-
holders last half-year, and was the basis on which
they went to Parliament for the Act they had ob-
tained. In six or eight months the line would be
in full operation; it would be opened on the Ist of
May next, and it would he all profit to the Blackwall
Company.
Major ALcocK asked whether the tonnage would
be accounted for in the gross, or whether the articles
carried would be sat forth in detail at different rates ?
The CHAIRMAN replied that there would be one
unifeem rate per ton, with the exception of the small-
parcel traffic, which would not Iv: much.
A SHAREHOLDER objected to the election of Alder-
man Thompson by the directors.
The CHAIRMAN said that by the constitution the
directors were bound to fill up vacancies in the direc-
tion, subject to the approval afterwards of the share-
holders. The Parliamentary influence of Mr. Aida-
man Thompson, his high position in the City, and the
large stake he held in the company, made it very de-
sirable to heee him en the direction.—(Cheers )
Mr. LEVY was always against the directors filling
up vacancies at the board. Tha lawyers always
said that was the constitutional way ; hut he did
not think it was the equitable or reasonable way.
A SHAREHOLDER asked what were the relatioes of
the company with the Eastern Counties Company ?
The CHAIRMAN said that up to lately the com-
panies stood in a hostile position to each other; but
now the feeling that subsisted between them was most
friendly. The question between them and the
Eastern Counties Railway Company now was how
could they make their relations materially advan-
tageous?—(Cheers.) That company saw that it would
be advantageous for them to have a terminus iu Fen-
church-street, and he had no doubt that arrange-
ments would be made to carry cut that object.--
(Hear, hear.) The Blackwell Company had now
the power of increasing this station in Fenchurch-
street, and when it should be made convenient it was
impossible to say what traffic would come upon their
rails from the long lines.
To questions from shareholders,
The CHAIRMAN said that their proposed line to
Tilbury having been thrown out by Parliament, the
deposits had been returned. He was not prepared to
say whether or not an attempt would be made next
session to obtain that extension. With respect to the
Haydon-square station, he believed the London and
North-Western Company would find the funds,
although the Blackwell Company would have nomi-
nally to raise the money. In fact, the London and
North-Western were to guarantee the interest.
The report and the accounts were then received
and adopted.
Resolutions were also agreed to for the payment
of a dividend of 2s. per share, payable on and after the
sth of September ; for the forfeiture of 78 original
shares, and 318 extension shares; for the disposal by
the directors of the forfeited shares; and for autho-
rising the directors to raise, by mortgage or bond,
100,0001. for the purposes of the Haydon-square Act.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed to rescind the reso-
lution of February, 1850, whereby a list of the pro-
prietory was ordered be printed and published. The
printing of 500 copies had cost all., and only 37
had been called for at ls.---(Laughter.) It was quite
clear that when only 37 out of 1,500 proprietors
thought the list worth a shilling, it was not worth
throwing away more money on it.--(Hear.)
The resolution was accordingly rescinded.
A cordial vote of thanks having been passed to the
Chairman and the board of directors, the meeting
broke up.

YORK, NEWCASTLE, AND BERWICK.
The half-yearly meeting of this company was held
yesterday (Friday), at the De Grey Rooms, in the
city of York. There was only a limited attendance'
of shareholders. Mr. Leeman was in the chair.;
The registered list of shareholders having been duly
sealed,
The CHAIRMAN proceeded to move "That the re-
port (of which an abstract has appeared in our paper)
be adopted by the shareholders." With reference to
their goods trrffic he was glad to say that it was
gradually and satisfactorily increasing. He next al-
luded to the coal traffic, which showed a decrease on
the half-year. This portion cf their traffic had caused
the directorsol
l considerable uneasines. This company
manyhadtateral branches formed for the service of
districts the coal cts of _Northumberland and Durham.
Over these lines
116 colleries in th e company carried the produce of
Durham, and 21 in Northumberland.
on
They conveyed an average 76,000 tons per week,
their annual receipt son this branch of traffic being
300,000/. Such was the pressure pressure now on the coal trade
that some collieriesbsen abandoned altogether,
and other proprietors had gone down under the diffi-
culties which surrounded them. The directors h. 4 d done
the best in their power to relieve these
customets,
consisteetly with regard to the interestsattention of ofthe the pro-
prietors. he next directed the attention
meet-
ing to the item of 19,037/. 103.,
alluded to in the re-
port, on account of bed debts and allowances.
this sum 15,000/. related to the mineral capital Clo;
which 11,500/. occurred en transactions during the
former direction, end 3,5001. wi, hin the first welve
months of the present direction. There were other
items comprised in the gross sum, including a sum
of 3,i60/., which had been allowed to Mr. Hudson in
respect of the working of the Newcastle and Carlisle
Railway—that sum having erroneewly been formerly
carried to the credit of this company, when is fact it
ought not to have been—as was decided on a reference
of this and some other matters between Mr. Hudson