The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-18 00:00:00

m............. 11
Total ••• ••• •114 £152 2 9
STEAM-BoATs.

Passengers ••• •••
Parcels, H. C. and D. ...

... £135 6 2
... 25 4 4

Total Rico 10 6
CALIDONIAN RAILWA7,.(IE9I miles opened.)—Return of
raffle for the week ending Dec. 7 :
Passengers, &c.
Goods, &c.

... £2,772 4 9i
... 4,759 19 8

Total .. ... ... £7,532 4 5i
Corresponding week last year ... 6,855 13 9

FRENCH RAILWAY TRAFFIC.
The following are the last returns of the gross re..
ceipts of the principal French Railways :
NORTHERN.—From Dee. 3 to Dec. 9 : Passengers,
167,8081.; goods, 228,629 f.; total, 396,437 f.
itollEN.—From Dec. 3 to Dec. 6: Passengers,
52,7701.; goods, 74,5451.; total, 127,319 f.
lllvuE.—From Dec. 3 to Dee. 6 : Passengers,
17,1221.; goods, 33,030 f. ; total 50,192 f.
ORLEANS.—From Dec. 1 to Dec. 7: Passengeris
86,540 f. ; goods, 89,724 f.; total, 176,263 f.
VIERZON.—From Dec. 1 to Dec. 7: Passengers,
37,724 f.; goods, 37,568 f.; total, 75,292 f.
BORDEAUX.—From Nov. 25 to Dec. 1: Passengers.
42,0801.; goods, 65,5511.; total, 107,6321.
NANTES.—FrOto Nov. 26 to Dec. 2 : passengers,
25,2091.; goods, 22,690 f • t0ta1,47 899 f.
Passengers,
MoNTEREA.UFrom 26 to Dec. -
7,1921,; goods, 11,1461.; total, 19,3374

rt— I, BRIsTOL, DEC. 17.--
ALAMMING GAS .r.XPLoaloN.— , •
This morning, about half-past o dock, the inhabi.
were much alarmesi by
tants of Temple-street, in this _3.
ded like the report of a cannon.
a loud explosion,
airvirs.°Ziallsiasmomlle iotfchthmean, grocer, were
windows of Mr.
The shop windows
blown into the
Shoemaker,street
two doors above. In addition to
King, boot and _
premises the adjoining houses were much shaken.
these two
ce of the explosion that the whole of the
Such was the force
was torn up and the door forcibly
flooring i n the e.
iron hinges. The house was so much
rent from heavy
shaken that Mr. Hitchman was afraid it would have fallen
Om him. A portion of the chimneypiece was knocked off
and projected nearly through the ceiling. The windows and
a great deal of the flooring of Mr. King's house were also
blown up. There is a lane immediately above, called Water-
lane, and the cause of the explosion is supposed to be the
leakage of a gas pipe in that lane. The gas had penetrated
into the drain which runs under the premises, and mingling
with the foul air of the drain, formed an explosive mixture. .
DEBYRIJ claw: FIRE IN LIVER-POOL.—YQSterday
morning (Wednesday), about three o'clock, a fire was dis-
covered in the extensive warehouses of Messrs. Verdun and.
Cullen, general merchants, St. James's street, Liverpool,
and before assistance could be rendered the whole of the
bu ldings with their contents, and a considerable portion of
the adjacent property, were enveloped in games. Messrs'
V. and C. are also extensive cattle salesmen and corn
omer-
chants : and the previous night no less than l'c'n bvarermehade
flour were taken into the upper warehouse. Wea any inquiries on the spot, but are unable to ascertain
_disaster. The
au-
thentic particulars as to the origin
of
l °in sured.
premises and merchandise were only
pal:
ny of the Redowt
ARGYLL RocMs.—A new P
waltz has been produced at these favourite assembly rooms..
and seems likely to
It is flayed nightly with getheasti7vrest..
West-end. M. Laurent, jun.,
become highly popular in the deal of spirit into the
and his able orchestra throw a
h is exceedingly pretty, and the
execution of the music, sill
dance, though considered difficult for the ball-room, is well
performed 14 many Qf the frequenters of this beautiful salk.

317';IVS

~,;~..~
~. ~-.

•._7.: . ,

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN:

A special meeting of this company was held on
Tuesday at the Nine Elms station, Vauxhall, for the
purpose of considering proposals, submitted to the
directors, respecting the making by other companies of
railways to Exeter, in extension of the company's
existing line, and the arrangements with the corn-
pany, proposed by the promoters of the respective un-
dertakings ; and also of considering the expediency
of completing the Basingstoke and Salisbury exten-
sion line ; the Earl of Morley in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN stated that Mr. Chaplin, the chair-
man of the company, was detained at Brighton, in
consequence of serious illness, and that he had been
requested to take the chair on that occasion. In 1849
and 1850 the directors had agreed not to enter into
any undertaking of a speculative character without
first calling the shareholders together, and receiving
their authority for so doing. In accordance with
that pledge the directors came that day to seek the
sanction of the proprietors to the recommendations
contained in the report which had been circulated
among them. The promoters of the two schemes to
be submitted to their consideration were
in attend-
ance, and would explain the merits of the respec•
tine plans, and the proprietors could judge for
themselves as to which they would adopt-
The di-
rectors had well considered the arguments urged in
favour of both those plans. One was a coast line
from Dorchester to Exeter, and the other was called
the central line, and extended in nearly a straight
line from the Bishopstoke and Salisbury line at Salis-
bury to Exeter. The directors recommend the cen-
tral line in preference to the coast line. The reason
they recommended the central line was, because
they had already expended a large sum on the line
between Basingstoke and Salisbury, which was now
unproductive, and because the central line would be
more useful to the company, and as they had not
capital sufficient for the purpcses of both the lines.
They bad therefore to consider which was the best
scheme of the two for the South-Western Company.
He begged to say that neither of the proposed lines
were promoted by the South-Western Company, nor
were they countenanced with any view of aggressive
policy, for they did not intend anything of the sort.
The schemes were promoted by the landowners in the
districts through which they were intended to pass,
with a view to benefit the neighbourhood intended
to be served by the lines. In conclusion, be dis-
claimed any wish to compete with the Great Western
Company for the traffic, and stated that he would leave
the matter to those gentlemen who were then present
to explisia the nature of the prnpoied undertakings.
The 'SLCRETARY then read the advertisement con-
yealug the meeting, and afterwards the report of the
directors an abstract of whisk appeared in The 572:1
Of Monday. He also read a letter dated the 15tta of
December, from Captain Meorsom, relative to the
proposed cart line, st Iting that a riilesey from Dor- '
chester to Exeter would be advantageous to the com-
pany, and containing a request that' the South-
Western directors should pass a minute of the board
to the effect that any member of the South-Western
Company so disposed might join the coast line with a
view to assist in carrying 011.1 the undertaking.
The CHAIR:W.IN, in moving the reception of the re-
port, stated that the distance by the coast line from
London to Exeter would he 197 miles, of which 141
miles would be over the existing line from London to
Dorchester, and 56 miles over the proposed coast line,
and by the central line from London to Exeter 171
miles, of which 48 would be over the existing line
from London to Basingstoke, 33 from Basingstoke to
Salisbury, and 90 miles over the proposed central line
from Salisbury to Exeter,
showing difference in fa-
vour of the central line of 26 miles between London
and Exeter.

On the suggestion of Mr. KAY the resolution was
carried, to the effect that the report be received and
entered upon the minutes.
The CHAIRMAN then moved a resolution, to the
effect that the meeting approval of the decision of the
directors in supporting the project from Salisbury to
Exeter, and authorising them to co-operate with the
promoters in carrying out the undertaking. The other
resolution he had to propose was to the effect that the
meeting approved of the arrangement proposed to be
made with the promoters of the line from Salisbury
to Exeter, and authorising the directors to concur in
all such arrangements, wish such modifications as
they might thi❑k proper.
Mr. CASTLEMAN moved an amendment, to the
effect that a committee be appointed to consider and
examine the two schemes, and to report the result to
an adjourned meeting. This he conceived to be ne-
cessary, as the meeting had no data to guide them in
the matter.

Mr. KAY seconded the motion, and said that if any
gentleman would come forward with the requisite in-
formation it would enable them to decide on the
question. _ _

Mr. Sergeant GAZ9LEE wished to know whether
the proposition was the unanimous decision of the
board? The directors had thought proper to tell the
shareholders upon what grounds they had adopted it.
The CUAIRMAN said that when the resolution was
passed by the board there were two directors absent,
and that one of them had since approved of it, but the
other had objected to it; there was only one dissen-
tient.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to the scheme
itself, it had been before the proprietors on former
occasions, and was then approved of by them. Mr.
Locke was present, and would give any explanation
that might be required. The directors had had re-
peated offers with regard to the scheme since May
last, but they had not been in such a form as to enable
them to be submitted to the shareholders. The direc-
tors had thought the proposals with respect to the
central line were such as the proprietors ought to
accept.

I\fr. Loon, M.P., then entered into a full state-
ment of the circumstances connected with the central
line, and of its advantages to the Stilt:h.-Western
Company. It now came before the proprietors in a
very different form to that originally intended. The
original capital was 2,500,000/o upon which the
South-Western Company had engaged to guarantee
the shareholders 140,000/. a year. This sum was
to be a fixed charge on the revenae of the South-
Western Company. That heavy liability very
properly induced the proprietors to pause before
they entered into it, and he felt they were right in
pausing, and not proceeding with the original
scheme. But the case was now very different ; the
powers cf the Act had been allowed to expire, and the
promoters of the central line asked them whether
they would accept the advantages of the line without
incurring any liability, or thrust it from them and
let other have it. Ic was three or four years ego since
the landowners along the proposed line had asked
him about proceeding with the undertaking, but he
well knew the objection of the company to raise any
further capital. He had since consulted the land-
owners in the district as to how far they would assist
the
undertaking by taking shares in the company.
He had also submitted plans to Messrs. Brassy,
Pet°, and Betts, and the result was that they would
undertake to complete the railway at a cost of
1,100,0001. as a single line. Nine-tenths of the
noblemen and gentlemen who are landowners along
the line had offered their land at its agricultural
price. They proposed that if the South-Western
Company would find half the capital, viz., 550,0001,
they would find the other half. He thought that
was a fair offer, and if it could be accepted by the
board it would be much batter, but the board would
not engage to raise any further capital, and the pro-
position now resulted in an offer that the landed pro-
p_orieters and the public would find the funds, the
° ;all-Western Company finding the working stock,
and engaging to work the line at the cost price. The
traffic brought on the South-Western line at Salis-
bury to be divided between the companies ; that was
giving them half the good the new line would bring
them. As a landownerrl he would go still further, and
could say that this could be made for the
specified, and that if the sum
to carry out the undertaking
did not assist them
it would be made by
others. This line was far better
be3itlhan the coast line,
fur even the distance would ()ureter from South-
ampton to Exeter by the central 11
would be to a ..ntohan by the coast
tuepaTe straight-
line. Their best course
forward line to Exeter, as it was
would
the
line.
He believed it would be the last time hr
have the offer, and they had better accept it when
they
could.—(Hear,) .
Mr. CASTLEMAN said that Mr. Locke had given
them no figures as to the details of the cost of the
line or relating to the traffic. He thought they had
better let some one else make the line, for it was of
no consequence for landowners to be in favour of a
line passing through their property, as they were
always anxious to get what they could out of the
companies. If they were to excite the jealousy of
the Great Western by making the line they would
find themselves opposed by that company, in con-
junction with the Bristol and Exeter Company' , which
might seriously
am pton andaffect their traffic. He contended that
the central in
ewas a competing one to their DorchesterSouth-
line, and that, if they pro-
moted the coast line,they would have a better traffic,
and avoid competition,
On comparing the traffic of
the Dorchester line duringv
other lines of the Sauta- Nel 1850 with that of the
that it produced 4,0001. more than
Company he found
re-
ceipts of the whole of their otherhan the average
earnings on all their lines a lines. The gross
m
and on the Dorchester line to 52,0001.
to 730 OCOL
,
0u
statements at former meetings , 1
-Le 52
tiloool. From the
intention of the directors to close the capitalght it was the
but now they proposed to expend more mono
neaccount,
Mr. BAKER seconded the motion, and in doing
;,,remarked that, by means of various extensions theirso
I. &ila:ad had been reduced from 8 to 31 or 4 per cent. I
7-They ware now beginning to get'better dividends
•3"aahen it' as proposed to expend more money, which
1d
• Irotl 'halk,e the effect of reducing the general a• •
Iv:-
Pdend- There was a probability, from competition, of
t4l,awostking expenses of the new line exceeding the

THE SUN,

receipts. The distance from London to Exeter by
the Great Western Railway, on the completion of
about 25 miles of new line, would be about 174 miles,
and by Hungerford to Frome the distance would be
176 miles, so that there would be a difference of about
four miles between the proposed route to Exeter and
that of the Great Western Company. It was intended
to make the new line a single one, while they
would have to contend with a broad gauge double
line, worked cheaply, and a great speed. It was not
likely that they could compete successfully with the
Great Western Company, and in doing so they would
run the risk of reducing their dividend. He feared
that unless the independent shareholders acted with
firmness and energy the directors, the engineers, so-
licitors, agents, and officials would be too much for
the shareholders, and lead them into a serious and
unproductive expenditure.
Mr. REED, a director, said that the scheme did not
emanate from the directors of this company, but at
the same time he thought it would tend to the advan-
tage of the company if it were constructed. It was a
direct line, and would be the best to accommodate the
public.—(Hear, hear.) That was one reason why
the directors recommended it. He would ask them
what would become of their western traffic if they
rejected the present opportunity of securing the cen-
tral line ? There were broad gauge lines to Basing-
stoke, to Salisbury, and other places in the district,
and there was every probability, unless they secured
what they could, that they would lose some of their
traffic by competing lines. He warned them of their
danger in listening to the advocates of rival interests.
He had no fear whatever that the 50 per cent. of
working expenses would be exceeded, and that the
line, if constructed, would be a great advantage to the
company.
Captain Mootisoat said he attended there that day
in the double capacity of a shareholder and the repre-
sentative of a personal friend. He had listened at-
tentively for figures with regard to the traffic of the
district proposed to be traversed by the new line, and
he had heard none mentioned. He begged to ask his
old friend, Mr. Reed, if he knew what the western
traffic would amount to ? If he did not know he
would tell him that it was less than 6001 per mile
per annum. From the best information he (Captain
Moors em) could obtain, the traffic between Exeter
and London was not more than what he had men-
tioned. Ho could tell them that the whole of the
local traffic between Salisbury and Exeter was not
worth so much as 4001. per mile per annum. The
question they had to determine was, what were they
going to purchase, and what they were to pay for it ?
it was the moiety of the traffic between London and
Exeter. He would be able to show that it was not
worth mu;:h, and for that purpose be proceeded to
describe on a map the nature of the traffic. That
between Salisbury, Yeovil, and Exeter was not
worth more than 5001. per mile per annum. The
traffic between Basingstoke was about 5001. per mile
per annum. The tr,ffic between Salisbury and
Yeovil at present came down almost entirely to
the South-Western Railway. (Mr. Read—No,
no.) The Bristol and Exeter would carry
nearly the whole of the Yeovil and Exeter traffic ;
they had a line nearly made from Exeter to Yeovil.
lie would ask them, as reasonable men, what they
would get of the London and Exeter traffic by the
central line ? and he maintained that it was not worth
purchasing at any price. He then proceeded to show
the advantages of the coast line from Dorchester to
Exeter, and contended that it would bring 4001. per
mile per annum to the line at Dorchester, and would
pass more or less over 141 miles of the South-Wes-
tern Railway. They would have 4001. per mile
over forty-eight miles of railway, 1501. per mile over
141 miles, 2501. per mile over sixty miles, and 501. per
mile over eighty-seven miles. They would receive
about 35,0001. a year. He would ask them was it
worth their while to expend 400,000/. on the Basing-
stoke line for the small traffic they would have ?
The central line, if constructed, would take away
some of the Dorchester traffic, and thus their income
would be reduced. He contended that the working
stock, to work the traffic on 126 miles between
Basingstoke and Exeter, would cost 180.001.
A PROPRIETOR was fully aware of the locality
from Basingstoke to Salisbury, and was satisfied it
would never pay. He could very well understand
the desire of the landowners for railway communica-
tion, it was for the purpose of getting the company
to pay large poor-rates of about 20 per cant., with
the view to reduce the rates on themselves. He could
assure them that in the agricultural districts it was a
matter of great consequence to get a railway to con-
vey produce along the line at a low rate which would
not pay, and to reduce the taxation of the district.
Mr. liar said he represented the Manchester share-
holders, and he was exceedingly desirous to support
the directors on that occasion, but from the threat
held out by Mr. Locke of other parties making the
line he was inclined to hold back, and not budge one
foot further. When the Great Western takes up the
line it would be time enough fur them to act on the
defensive. As to the cost of the plant for working
the proposed new line he believed, according to the
rule of three, it would be 189,0001.; they had 242
miles of railway, and their plant had cost 569,0001,
Instead of the Bisingetoke line and working stock
costing 500,0001., as estimated, he believed they
would cost nearer 800,0001. He thought the propo-

sition of Mr. Castleman was a reasonable one, and he
was entitled to great credit for proposing it, as they
could not suffer from information on the subject be-
fore them.
Mr. LOCKE explained with regard to the intima-
tion from him, referred to by Mr. Kay, that he was
only stating his connexion with landowners, and he
could assure them that he bad acted with the land-
owners as a landowner himself, and in doing so he
had stated his opinion on the subject.
Mr. DICKENSON thought they should not bind
themselves to work the line at 50 per cent., as they
might suffer some loss by so doing. In his opinion
the most blissful state for a railway company was to
have nothing to do with new projects. Every great
line in the kingdom was brought down by project
after project. There was the greatest danger of
litigation. He hoped the project would not be enter-
tained. _ _

Mr. SMITH, a director, defended the course recom-
mended by the board, and endeavoured to show that
the loss, if any, on the new line, would be very small
indeed. He thought a line of 90 miles in length
would have a good deal of traffic upon it, and that it
would be an advantage to the company.
Mr. HERAPATH would not inflict upon them at
that late hour of the day a speech, but he would put a
question of great importance to the directors and to
Mr. Locke. The question he put to the directors was,
whether the statement of Captain Moorsom wag true
or not, that the existing through London and Exeter
traffic amounted to only 5001. or 600/. per mile per
annum ?

The CHAIRMAN said, the directors had no means of
knowing the amount of it.
Mr. HErtarATH said it appeared they were working
in the dark as to the proposition of the new Exeter
line. But if they did not know he could tell them that
he was informed upon good authority that the Bristol
and Exeter Company now hand over to the Great
Western Company not more than about 5001. worth of
gross traffic per mile per annum passing through from
Exeter to London. That was the whole of the through
traffic, and, that being the case, he would put a ques-
tion to Mr. Locke, as the originator of the proposi-
tion, whether there was a line in England which was
adequately worked for less than 5001. per mile per
annum ? If he could work for 4001. a-year he would
then have but 1001. per mile per annum for profit,
which, of course, was totally inadequate to pay a re-
munerative dividend. In justice to the shareholders,
and also to the directors, he thought the directors
ought to allow of the appointment of a committee.
Captain CURRIE was decidedly of opinion the beat
course was to adopt the central line.
Mr. MORTIMER stated that he represented several
proprietors in the company holding a quarter of a
million of stock in the company, and that it was pos-
sible for them to work the new line at a loss, particu-
larly if they abstracted any of the traffic from the
Dorchester line. He feared, from a reduction of
fares in consequence of competition, they might risk
the loss of from 60,0001. to 70,0001. a year.
Mr. LOCKE said,iin reply to a question, that it was
very difficult to say what the London and Exeter
through traffic amounted te. lie had no doubt the
Great Western could tell. The Dorchester line had
a truffle of 850/. per mile, and he thought it was rea-
sonable to expect that the central line would have as
much or more. It was not so much the amount of
traffic per mile as the cost cf construction.
al•r • RERAPATLI said, that Mr. Locke had not an-
swered his question with respect to his knowledge of
any line in tn
annum
bein worked for less than 5001.
per mile per nn
Mr. Locnt could. g
not say as to an English line,
but ho believed the Scottish Midland was worked for
e ses.
Afterp p
some further observations, the amendment for
the appointment of a committee of shareholders was
a)gdAinst it.
A long discussion ensued on the
proposal to name
tl
a
Ce poll
was demanded
but ,
Chairman put
the and ca r i carried.—(Cheers.
the committee, in the course of which
Mr. LuCKE proposed that all those shareholders
who had spoken en the question of the committee
should not be members of it.
Mr. 13aAssn7 seconded the motion, which was not
put to the meeting.
•
It was agreed, after a long contest, that the mem
bzrs of the committee should hold the same number
of shares as would be sufficient to qualify them as
directors ; and the following gentlemen were ap-
pointed to constitute the committee, vz.:—Mr. Cas-
tleman, Mr. Help, Mr. Sergeant Giselee, Mr. Mor-
timer, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Blunt, and
Mr. East.

A cordial vote of thanks was passed to the Chair-
min for his honourable conduct in the chair.
The meeting was adjourned to Tuesday next.

LONDON,

GERMANY.

A letter from Vienna of the 10th, in the Post Ga-
zette of Frankfort, says :—" The Count de Chambord
has left Frohsdorff for Prague, from whence, it is said,
he is to proceed to Brussels, where ho intends to pass
the winter. It is natural that this journey should
.lause great astonishment, as the Prince had previously
arranged to pass the winter at Venice, with the
Duchess de Berry."
The Kolner Zeitung has a telegraphic dispatch
from Freyburg (in the Breisgau) of the lath instant,
stating that the Alsace Railway was threatened in
some place or places. The troops from Groshuningen
have marched. It is not stated where they marched
or for what purpose, or what the nature of the danger
was which threatened the Alsace Railway.