The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-10 00:00:00

LAND TRANSPORT CORPS.

Another meeting of the members of the late Land Trans-
port Corps was held last night at the King's Arms Tavern,
Surrey-row, Blackfriars-road, for the purpose of devising
means to obtain a recognition of their claims from the
government for the services rendered by them in the Crimea
during the late war. Serjeant REARDON was called to the
chair.

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The CHAIRMAN said the object of the present meeting
was as to the nature of the discharge they were to receive,
their clothing and their gratuity. He held in his hand a
real parchment discharge given to one of their comrades—
a real discharge -and if it was legal to be given to one,
why was it not given to all ? The paper that was given
to them was not a discharge, it was only a protection paper,
and the government could call upon them for their services
whenever they deemed it necessary to do so. There was
in the parchment discharge the man's character inserted,
but they had no such recommendation ; and they were
obliged to hang about and beg for their bread, without
knowing whether they were really in the service of the
government or not. Unless they had had a proper and
legal discharge they ought to receive government pay, but
instead of that they were obliged to beg about for bread,
while a large body of German troops were kept here
eating the bread that they ought to have. Why were
they not sent home, and the Land Transport Corps given
what was dae t 3 them ? He hoped that all would
unite together until they obtained those claims that
were so justly due to them. He concluded by moving,
" That this meeting earnestly hope that Government
will shortly give the men a legal discharge, and relieve
their minds from all anxie►y as to whether they are dis
charged or not, and give them without delay such a dis-
charge, with character, as will enable them to get an
honest livelihood, as they are honestly inclined and wish
to get such a living, but at the present moment, through
the neglect of Government, are in great distress."
The resolution was put, and unanimously agreed to.
Mr. BERCRY proposed the resolution following :
"That the foreigner has had a gratuity, and a good one
too, the Army Works Corps the same, as well as the
Turkish Contingent ; and this meeting is of opinion that
the hard-working Land Transport Corps should not be
left in the field of despair."
Mr. TAYLOR seconded the resolution, which was put
and carried unanimously.
After a few words from Mr. HYDE on the necessity
for a close union between the Land Transport Corps and
the Turkish Contingent,
Thanks were voted to the press for the advocacy of
their cause, and also to the chairman for his conduct in
the chair, and the meeting separated.

EAST A/foraArr RAlLWAY.—Yesterday afternoon the
half-yearly meeting of the shareholders of tbis company
was held at the London Tavern ; Mr. H. A. Bruce, the
chairman of the board of directors, in the chair. From
the report which was presented it appeared that the
traffic for the half-year ending the 30th of June last
produced 25,0501. 18s. 3d.,twhich showed an increase
upon 1853 of 6,532/. 41. 5d.; upon 1854, of 3,8851. 6g, ld.,
and upon 1855, 2,036/. 2s. 83. It was a source of much
disappointment that the increased rate of working ex
pensos, as shown by the account-3 of the Eastern Counties
Company, had brought this important item to the highest
point at which this company could be charged under the
~grApineni•-, via., 50 per cent. Had those expenses con-
tinued at the same rate at which they were stated in the
accounts furnished by the Eastern Counties Company in
July, 1853, the directors should not only have paid all
the preferences charges in full, but also have had a sur-
plus to provide for a dividend on the ordinary stock.
The net balance, after paying the interest on the A and
B shares and stock will enable them to pay a dividend
on the C stock at the rate of 21. 10s. per cent. per annum.
The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report,
said the traffic had increased in a study manner, and Le
had no doubt that in a year or two they would see a
great improvement in the traffic of Lynn, provided tha
fair play could be secured in the way of taxes and tolls.
Everything had been done by the directors to check the
increased rates of working expenses alluded to in the
report, but they had not been able to carry out their
object. Mr. Simpson seconded the motion, which was
agreed to. The dividend recommended was declared,
li and the proceedings terminated.
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THE WESTMINSTER CLOCK BELL.—At the time of our
former notice of this bell it had not been weighed. The
weight is now stated to be 15 tons 18 cwt. 1 qr. 22 lb.,
or 16 tons within a small fraction ; which is nearly half
as much again as the great bell of York Minster, more
than twice that of Oxford ; nearly three times as heavy
as the large bells of Exeter, Linco'n, and St. Paul's,
and exactly six times the weight of " the great
bell of Bow." The four quarter bells together will
not weigh quite half as much. The thickness is
found to be rather more than was stated in our
former notice—viz., 9: inches at the soundbow, where
the hammer strikes, and 3 in the upper part, being
very nearly 1-12th and 1-36th respectively of the diameter
at the mouth, 9 ft. 51 in. The great bell had to be rent
down from Norton to West Hartlepool by railway on
Sunday, being too wide for any train meeting it to pass.
The composition is 7 of tin to 22 of copper, melted twice
over, as in speculum metal, to secure a perfect alloy.
The metal is nearly as hard as spring steel, and much
harder than is usual in modern bells, in which the pro-
portion of tin is less than is the best old ones. This pro-
portion was adopted after trying experimental bells of
various proportions ; and the shape, which is fuller at

the snundbow than is usual ; was determined in the same
way. When the bell arrives at the Westminster it is to
be hung for trial at the foot of the clock tower, with a
clapper of half a ton, to be pulled by five or six men.
It is finally to be hung in the open part of the spire of
the tower, which was made for the purpose, in order that
the sound may issue without obstruction. It is described
as sounding as if it were struck with a wooden hammer,
from its remarkable softness, although the hammer which
has hitherto been used is of cast-iron, and the bell still
harder. _ _ _

Loss OF A SCREW-STEAMER.—Capt. Jefferson, of the
Hutton Chaytor screw-steamer, from Hartlepool, arrived
in the River Thames, reports that "on Saturday morn-
ing, September 6, at 1.30, passed the Janet Croll screw-
steamer, which hoisted signals of distress. The Hut-
ton Chaytor immediately ran down to her. When
within hail the captain of the Janet Croll hailed tne
Hutton Chaytor, and said tbat his vessel was fast
filling with water, and required immediate assistance.
Hailed the Janet Croll, and told the master to hoist his
boats out, and come on board the Hutton Chaytor. At
2.85 a.m., the captain and all the crew of the Janet Croll
got safe on board of the Hutton Chaytor, which lay by
the other until daylight, when part of the crew of the
Janet Croll proceeded on board of her again, and passed
a towline on board of the Hutton Chaytor, and took
her in tow in hopes of reaching Yarmouth ; but while
towing, she made water so fast that at 6 a.m. she
foundered. The crew got safe out of her before she
went down. When she foundered, Dudgeon light-ves-
sel bore S.E. by S., distance 2i miles. The Hutton
Chaytor proceeded on her voyage for London with•
the crew of the Janet Croll, 16 in number. In Yar-
mouth Roads met the Ross De Mangles screw steamer,
for Hartlepool, put 14 of the crew of the Janet Croll on
board, to take them to Hartlepool, the most of
them being residents there ; the other two proceeded
to London with the Hutton Chaytor. The Janet Croll
was built at Leven, near Edinburgh, about two years
ago, by Messrs. Balfour and Co., of that town, for Mr.
A. A. Croll, late Sheriff of London, and had until lately
been employed in the transport service in the Black Sea.
She was about 400 tons burthen, and was from West
Hartlepool, coal laden, for London."
A letter from Dresden of the 6th says ;—« Prince
de Metternich, the Austrian Minister, accompanied
by Baron de Blittersdorf, secretary of legation, and
Prince d'Auersperg and Count de Traun, attaches-
extraordinary, went in state in court carriages to
demand in the name of the Emperor Joseph the
hand of the Princess Margaret for the Archduke
_ _

Charles Louis. After the audience there was a

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grand reception and a gala dinner, at which the
King proposed a toast to the health of the Emperor
of Austria, which was followed by a salute of 21
guns."
Prince Napoleon arrived at Gothemboura on the
7th with the Rein() Hortense and Cocyte steamers
from Christiania. The Prince Royal, Viceroy of
Norway, who was at Christiania when Prince
Napoleon arrived in that port, immediately went
on board the Reine Hortense, where he remained
with his Imperial Highness for more than an hour.
The two princes afterwards lauded together, and
were received with due military honours by the
troops who were drawn up along the quay. They
entered a carriage and proceeded to the palace,
where Prince Napoleon took up his residence dur-
ing his stay at qlgiddallia.