The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-21 00:00:00

MONT CENIS (LIMITED).

The second half-yearly general meeting of this
company was hold on Tuesday at the office, Victoria-
street, Westminster—Mr. A. Brogden in the chair.
The report stated that nothing had occurred to
alter the opinion of the directors as to the very en-
couraging prospects of the undertaking. The da-
mages to the road by the late floods were limited to
the section between San Michel and Modane, and
would not interfere with the opening of the line be-
tween Mondane and Susa by May next, as previously
stated, thus leaving only ten miles to complete the
total distance, which they trusted would be finished
in July next. The damaged Portions of the road be-
tween San Michel and Modane were about to be
repaired in a very substantial manner, at the ex-
pense of the French Government, and the railway
would thus be protected from a recurrence of such
disasters for the future. With regard to the por-
tion of the damages which would fall upon the
company, a special decree had lately been signed by
the Emperor, according to which two-thirds of the
actual losses incurred would be allowed to the com-
pany. The rails on the Italian side were all deli-
vered on the mountain, and also the greater portion
on the French side; and the permanent way, with
the exception of the central rail, was laid over the
whole length from Susa to L ineebourg. The con-
struction of the locomotives had been intrusted to
Messrs. Gouin and Co., of Paris, and the railway
carriages and other stock to Messrs. Chevalier
Cheilus, and Co., of Paris, who entertained no doubt
of being able to deliver a sufficient number in time
for the opening of the line. The Board had reason
to believe that the total cost of construction would
be considerably within the amount named in the
prospectus ; while theadditional investigations made
by Mr. Fell on the Mont Cenis. showed that the
traffic would exceed the calculations previously
made. The amount expended on the works, and in
payment of interest and ot her charges, was £137,155,
and.deposited as caution money with the French and
Italian Governments £8,186, leaving a balance of
110,790 at the bankers and in hand.
The CIIAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, congratulated the shareholders on the pro-
gress which had been made in the works, notwith-
standing the late unprecedented floods and the winter
season. He was glad to assure them that the greatest
portion of the line would be open for tratlic in May

next. That was still further confirmed by a letter he
had received that morning from Mr. Fell. Ile
informed them that some experiments lately
made on . the Mont Ceuis, to test an im-
provement introduced in the locomotive with

the object of dispensing with the centre rail
over a considerable length of time, had proved
successful. The improvement in the traffic, was so
rapid that the number of horses and mules em-
ployed on the common road for the service of the
through traffic had increased 25 per cent. since the
beginning of last year. He believed that the pro-
spects originally held out would be far exceeded.

The time had now arrived when the bonds of the
company would have to be issued to provide means
for the completion of the line, and he invited the
shareholders to cordially co-operate with the direc-
tors in accomplishing this object.
Mr. W. BELL seconded the motion, which was
carried unanimously.
Mr. Cannan vim elected auditor, and a vote of
thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.

-----
The Fenian. Paid on Chester.

(From the Anglo-American Times.)

The greatest Fenian feat has been the capture of
the ancient city of Chester and the general scare of ,
the English public. An attempt has been made to
make light of this little episode in the history of
Chester, which is neither warranted by the facts
nor wise in the face of such an extraordinary and
audacious enterprise. The first message which
reached London reported that a body of Fenians,
numbering hundreds of men, from the manufactur-
ing towns in the vicinity, had assembled at Chester
and attacked the Castle, containing several thou-
sand stand of arms. Although the hostile move-
ment did not proceed so far, there was great danger
when the message was despatched that the attack
would immediately be made. In the vicinity of the
House, and at the clubs, the fact was known on
but it was not till the following
morning Monday
ethveantingLondon awoke to the news which the
daily papers spread far and wide to a startled and
almost incredulous public. In the middle of the
night a battalion of the Guards were roused from
their beds, and in an hour were rattling along the
North-Western in a special train to the scene of
action. A company of the 54th had been despatched
at once from Manchester, and to the timely arrival
of this company is attributed the salvation of the
town. The Fenian desperadoes appear to have laid
their plans well, counting most falsely, we be-
lieve, on the disaffection of a company of the
54th, by whom the Castle was garrisoned.
It is a fatal mistake for these people
to make if they act on the supposition
that any reliance can be placed on the assurances of
a few drunken privates. Whatever may be the feel-
ings even of these individual soldiers they are mere
cyphers in the ranks, and are compelled for self-
preservation when the moment of action arrives to
turn all their energies into the effort to defeat their
foe. When men are engaged in a life-Mad-death
struggle they cannot play " fast and loose." Their
annihilation will probably follow their defeat, and
the men who knocked them on the bead neither
know nor care whether they ever professed Fenian
sympathy. Even the instinct of fightini: when
bullets begin to fly, and blood to flow, swamps all
principles, and man becomes the savage aa'mal he
in reality is. The training of the British. soldier is
opposed to the exercise of individual action. When
he is ordered to load,—load he must, and lead he
:foes; and even if his first shot be wide of the; mark,
when he warms up, and his comrades be gir to fall,
his subsequent bullets are more truly dil:ec-,ed. It
will be found in the day of action--and on this we
do not hesitate to express the stronge 3t opinion
--that the &Realty will be in restraining the Bri-
tish soldier, not in inducing him to act. The
Fenian scheme was one of positive ma tinees, but
even the more dangerous from its very d esperation.
had they sacked and burnt Chester, w hich might
have been accomplished at a terrible exp( oediture of
blood and outrage, they would have been I anted clown
and shot like dogs ; and we repeat that in the
hour of trial there will be found . au element
of ferocity in the English character h'
re-
quires such scenes to be rousedinto A
wot
.. oiol.