The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-09 00:00:00

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they understand you are appointed on the RoyalSeiediih
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"Mr. Tester. Superintendent's-office, South-
Eastern Railway." •li
"South-Eastern Railway, London Terminus,
Aug. 30, 1855.
" Dear Sir,—ln accordance with your request to have
a testimonial of service and conduct while in the employ
of this company, I have much pleasure in stating that
you were first engaged as a booking clerk in 1847 ; and
that during a period of upwards of eight years you have
filled the positions of booking-clerk, station-master, and
corresponding clerk in the superintendent's-office with
credit to yourself and to the satisfaction of the directors.
"In these positions you have acquired an extensive
knowledge of all details connected with the movement of
traffic, and I have ever considered you zealous, active,
and trustworthy. You have resigned your appointmen
with the company, having, as I understand, accepted
one under the Royal Swedish Railway Company.
"I am, dear Sir, yours truly,
" R. H. BARLOW, General Manager.
"Mr. Tester, Superintendent's office."
In addition to these testimonials, Tester possesses
others of a similar character, signed by Mr. G. W.
Brown, traffic superintendent on the South-Eastern
Railway, dated August 30, 1855 ; Mr. J. C. Sbaw,
goods manager, August 29, 1855 ; Mr. P. D. Finnigan,
late superintendent, September 13, 1855 ; and Mr. G.
S. Herbert, late secretary, September 24, 1855 ; and
with opinions thus favourably expressed of him some
months after the robbery it will indeed be strange if the
confidence so generally placed in him should be proved
to have been undeserved by his conviction upon a
charge of being a party to so gigantic a scheme of
plunder.
The writer of this was inadvertently led into a mis-
take when he stated, in an article which appeared in
some of the morning papers yesterday, that Tester had
been for some weeks in London. Such is not the case,
although the fact is not the less apparent tbat the
prosecution was on a wrong scent in seeking for Tes-
ter in Sweden, as he quitted the station in thM coun-
try three weeks ago. At that time, for at leaet so be
alleges, before he had himself received any intimation of
Agar's revelations and the consequent charge made
against himself, be was suddenly dismissed from his
situation on the Royal Swedish Railway without any
cause being assigned by the authorities, and at once de-
ciueo upon returning to England, his station being soma
distance ep the country. He accordingly quitted Swe-
den for Copenhagen, passing thence to Hamburg, and
learning on his way the danger of his position, and
coming to the conclusion that the statement of Agar had
led to his dismissal from his appointment, he bad passed
from Hamburg through Belgium to Calais, and thence,
hardy as it may seem, to Dover. What followed
reads like a chapter of romance, and is, in fact, one of
the strangest episodes in the great gold epic ; for at
Dover, without the intervention of any elaborate dis-
guise, but simply with the collar of his coat turned up,
he remained upon the platform at the railway-station
for nearly an hour, took his seat in the train, travelled
up to town in the ordinary way, and passed through the
London-bridge terminus without inquiry, or even a
suspicion being entertained that the man upon whom
the company were, above all others, anxious to lay their
hands had so easily eluded pursuit. What makes this
more singular still is the fact that that very night Mr.
Rees, solicitor for the prosecution, travelled down the line
to Dover for the purpose of endeavouring to gain some
information as to the whereabout of the fugitive from
Tester's father, who resides there. There appears to be
something singularly daring in this passing through the
hands of his enemies, but probably Tester, having made
up his mind to meet the charge, was indifferent as to
capture, while the South-Eastern Railway itself would
probably be the very lest place where those who sought
would expect to find him.

GRAND TRUNK RAILWAY COMPANY

OF CANADA.

The following circular will be this day addressed
to each shareholder :—" The report of the London
directors of the Grand Trunk Railway Company of
Canada to a meeting of the shareholders, held at
the London Tavern, on the 17th Sept., 1856 (a
copy of which report, and of an act passed in the
last session of the Canadian Parliament, to grant
additional aid to the Grand Trunk Railway Com-
pany of Canada, was sent by post to each share-
holder, previous to the meeting), will have in-
formed you that the company are authorised to
issue preferential bonds to the extent of two mil-
lions sterling, and that the holders of such bonds
are to have priority of claim over the present first
lien of the province. It is provided by the act that
the proceed of the bonds shall be deposited with
Messrs. Baring, Brothers, and Co., and Messrs.
Glyn, Mills, and Co., the financial agents of
Canada, and be handed over to the company,
and proof to the satisfaction of the Governor-
General of Canada in council, of the pro-
gress of the works, one of such works be-
a-, the Victoria Bridge, the completion of which
the directors believe to be necessary to effectually
secure the traffic from the west to the Atlantic. The
directors, as will lee observed from the perusal of
report, propose.to urge some modifications of the
Relief Act upon the Government of Canada ; but
they feel that these modifications will be much
easier of attainment if the shareholders, placing
confidence in the Government and the directors,
cordially accept the act in the spirit in which it was
passed by the Canadian Legislature, and at once
subscribe the two millions authorised to be raised.
At the meeting of the 17th of September, to which
the report was submitted, the directors were re-
quested to take the necessary steps for carrying the
several matters therein referred to into effect, and
at the general meeting in Canada, held at Toronto
on the 10th of November last, resolutions were
passed accepting the act, leaving the directors to
urge such modifications upon the Government of
Canada as they considered expedient, and for
raising the two millions of preferential capital
authorised, by the issue under its provisions of
preferential bonds of the company to that amount.
These to bear interest at the rate of six per cent.,
to be repayable in 25 years, and to be offered to
the shareholders in proportion, so far as practicable,
to their shares. In order to strengthen the posi-
tion of the directors in urging upon the government
of Canada the modifications of the act which the
board considers expedient, and to give to the Go-
vernment the best possible assurance of the due
appreciation of the spirit in which the concession
of the first charge ou the undertaking, amounting
to upwards of three millions sterling, is received
by the shareholders,
to subscribe
the
whole it
amountideemeds o f a
tdbvei s apbrleef
preferential
exclusive of
capital, and I am accordingly instructed to offer to
you your proportion of these
bonds,
fractions, upon the terms hereinafter mentioned-
1. That you sign the annexed letter of acceptance,
and deposit it, together with ten per cent. on the
amount of preferential bonds to which you are
entitled, or such proportion thereof as you may
wish to take, at Messrs. Glyn and Company's, to
the credit of the financial agents of the province,
on or before the 19th day of December, 1856. On
payment of this sum Messrs. Glyn and Co. will
give you the accompanying receipt for the amount
so paid, which will be exchanged for a debenture
certificate, on or after the 19th day of January,
1857. The amount will bear interest at 6 percent.
from the day the deposit is paid. This debenture
certificate will be exchanged for a preference bond
tinder the act when the whole amount is made up.
2. That in case of non-payment of the remaining
90 per cent., or of any portion thereof, at the dates
at which the instalments shall be called for by the
company (three weeks' notice of each call being
given in one or more of the Loudon papers), no in-
terest on previous instalments shall be payable
until the instalment or instalments in arrear shall
be paid, together with interest thereon at the rate
of 6 per cent, per annum. The holder of each de-
benture certificate will be entitled to pay UP the
whole amount in advance, and to receive interest
at 6 per cent, per annum on the amount so paid
up. It has been before mentioned that these de-
bentures are to have priority of claim over the pre-
sent first lien of the province, and there cannot
therefore be any doubt as to their security and
valueeeretaasry.,,an investment.—(Signed) C. P. RONEY,
Secretary."

EXPENSE OF PEOSECUTIONS.—Oa several occasions
during the present assize, at Stafford, Mr. Baron Watson.
has had to complain that cases of a very trifling charac-
ter have been sent to the assizes, which might have been
disposed of at the sessions. A great additional expense
sVed at the assizes being much higher than was allowed
was thus imposed on the country, the scale of costa
'at sessions. The learned baron said he should feel it hie
duty to communicate with the Government on the sub-
jtct. Many cases had been sent as felonies, when it wan
clear that they:were only misdemeanours, the only reason
that
in h
such
usehho should
cases exercise
the
coats
co hies
for this pr)ceeding being that a good deal more money
was got than would have been allowed at sessions. Hi,
lordship was sure that if the matter were pointed out
to the magistrates they would send such cases in future
Isis
to the
power
in ess
future,ins.
orderpaid
lonishtipha
should be taxed on the lower scale.
THE PRESS IN RUSSIA.— A letter from II •
so
elsingfors, in
Finland, of the 22d ult., says :—" The ev
g ernment has
just authorised the publication in this town, from the
Ist of January nett, of a new political paper. The
governor general sent for M. Loennot, one of the
most distinguished professors of the university,
and pro-
posed to him to be the director of the paper. That gen-
tleman answered peremptorily, No." And why not?'
asked the governor. Because,'
replied M. Loennot,
I know in advance that I should discharge the duties;
of the office in such a way that immediately after the
publication of the first number you would be obliged to
replace me.' M. de Berg returned no reply, and made
a sign to M. Loennot to leave the room, which the
latter did at once. In a speech recently delivered at
the university Professor Schaumann manifested the wish
that the Finnish Diet should be convoked, in conformity
with the constitution. This manifestation was received
with immense applanse by a numerous auditory."—
(7-cclign

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