The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-10 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

Among the bills which came before the Mas,za-
chusett,s Legislature, was one from Senator Alexan-
der oillampden, incorporating the Bennington and
North Adams Railroad Company, with a capital of
$500,000, and under a suspension of the rules it was
passed through its various stages.
After hearing a mass of testimony as to the
claims of rival companies to the ownership of the
Kansas Union Pacific Railroad,
the judiciary
committee
has decided that it is a question for
the courts, not for Congress, to settle, and dis-
missed the whole matter. The lawyers will now
have their chance for a hand in. Whatever may
be the decision as to ownership of the road, the
Government interest in it is secured by a lien upon
the road itself.

The Lee and New Haven Railroad Corporation
at their annual meeting held at Otis on Wednes-
day, May 23, elected the following directors :
J. E. Field, D. B. Fenn, and H. J. Dunham of
W. 11. Hill, of • Lenox ; S. Johnson,
Stockbridge ;
of Adams ; S. S. Rogers, C. C. Holcomb, and P. C.
Baird, of Lee ; J. S. Eldridge, of Canton, Con. ;
Edward Crane, of Dorchester ; J. E. Sheffield, of
New Haven ; William Call and A. Crittenden, of
Otis ; S. C. Parsons, Albert Hull, and Orlo Burt,
of Sandisfield. Otis S. Lyman was chosen clerk
and treasurer, J. E. Field was elected president,
and W. H. Hill was vice president. There is a pros-
pect that the road will be built this year.
The new freight depot of the Worcester. and
Nashua Railroad at Worcester is completed and
ready for occupancy. The depot is of stone, 400
by 65 feet, cost about $90,000, and is one of the
finest structures of the kind in New England.
By the recent consolidation of the Franklin and
Insulated telegraph companies, the new company
(the Franklin) has six lines from Boston to New
York and four from the latter city to Philadelphia,
Baltimore, and Washington. The president of the
new corporation is T. B. Stearns, of Boston, and the
general superintendent, J. G. Smith, formerly of
New York.

Maine has 573 miles of railroad in operation, and
438 miles in process of construction.

The Portland and Rochester railroad voted on
Friday, May 24, to accept the loan of poo,coo
recently offered by Portland, and to mortgage the
road for its security.
The twenty-second annual report of the
Northern Railroad gives the receipts of the year as
$681,301 and expenses $138,304, net earnings
V 47,996. The increase in the gross receipts over
those of the previous year was $65,573, and in the
net income $27,023. The bonded debt of the com-
pany was reduced $6,000, and the number of pas-
sengers carried was 149,727.
The shareholders of the New York and New
Haven railroad held their annual meeting at New
Haven, on Thursday, at which 44,161 of the 60,000
shares were represented. A movement had been
set on foot to put the road in entirely new hands,
but the old board of directors was triumphantly re-
elected, and William I). Bishop, of Bridgeport,
superintendent of the Naugatuck railroad, was
chosen to fill the place in the board made vacant by
the death of E. C. Scranton. It is understood that
he will also succeed to Mr. Scranton's place as
president.

The legislative committee on railroads is busy
with the petition of the Air Line road to bridge
the Connecticut at Middletown. According to the
testimony of the engineers it will cost about $BO,OOO
a mile to build and stock the road and about
$200,000 to build a low and $500,000 a suspension
bridge.

The legislative railroad committee will not grant
the Norwich and Worcester railroad privilege to
build a track from Norwich to New London, but
will require the New London Northern road to lay
a second track between those places within three
years, or stand aside for their rivals.

The annual catalogue of the llartford Theological
Institute contains the names of 26 students-2 seniors, 11
middlers, and 13 juniors. The term bills of the institution
amount to only 82 per year, and to each indigent student
$lOO a year is given by the American educational society.

LA (INCH OF THE NATIONAL STEAM NAVIGATION
CO.'S SCREW-STEAMER "FRANCE," AT LIVER'
POOL.

(From a Liverpool Correspondent.)
On Tuesday last the magnificent iron screw steamship
the France, built for the National Steam Navigation Co.
by Messrs. Boyden and Son, was launched from the
yard of the builders in the presence of some thou-
sands of spectators. The France is the largest vessel ever
built on the Mersey, her tonnage being 3,300, hor length
for measurement is 380 feet, but over all 410 feet, or 10 feet
longer than the Queen, the largest vessel at present in the
company's service. liar breadth is 42 feet 6 inches, be
depth 29 feet. The France has been built of the very best
material. She has been strengthened by eight water-tight
bulk heads ; has three decks, a poop 70 feet in length ;
`
topgallant forecastle for the seamen, GO feet in length+ an
vtmidship house giving ample accommodation for the offi-
cers and engineers. The saloon accommodation is for 70
passengers, and will be of a superior order. The decors"
tions, fittings, and upholstery will be undertaken 11
Messrs. Blain and Co., of Liverpool, and the services of
plate will be furnished by Messrs. Elkington and Co.
The steerage accommodation is admirably devised. Ansi'''.
light and ventilation have been secured for 1,200 passen-
gcrs at least, and in case of sickness there is a reemY
and well-ventilated hospital, which will be attended to 14'
a duly qualified surgeon. We should mention that in the
boats of this company a medical man with regular diploma
is always carried. The figure-head of the France is
of
w
massive and extremely elegant and truthful half figure
ith
o
the Empress Eugenic. The ship will be brig-rigged,
iron masts and spars and wire rigging ; and she will have
double topsail yards. The boats are eight in number,
include two lifeboats. The windlass is on Emerson an
Walker's patent, and will be worked by steam. The steal
winches for loading and discharging cargo, setting sail,
and so forth, are to be supplied by the eminent firm °
James Taylor and Co., Britannia Works, Birkenhead.
Trotman's patent anchors are to be supplied to the shiP ;
and fire extinguishing apparatus have been provided in
case of fire breaking out ; indeed, every requisite for se-
curing the comfort and convenience of the passengee4
and the safety of the ship and cargo has been serupulousli
the
attended to. The engines will be put on board by
old-established and highly appreciated firm of James Stie/
and Co., of the Victoria Engine Works, Sandon 1)19c.
They will consist of a pair of direct acting central surface
condensers, of the collective power of 400 horses,
inch cylinders, and having a 43-inch stroke. The boilers,
which are four in number and constructed on the tubular
principle, have 16 furnaces, and will be fired by wihgg;
The screw, which is four-flanged with a 28-feet pitch,
shipped before the vessel was launched. WS.
The ceremony of christening was performed by
Maxwell, the wife of one of the directors of the coraP3lll:,;
and 25 minutes to one the noble ship glided nisinstica„:
into the water, her graceful lines and beautiful apPesra-:
calling forth the repeated plaudits of the immense cf.-v-0
course assembled to witness her introduction to her us i'!l3
element. Unfortunately an accident occurred, willes.
with 65-
tended to cast a gloom over the close of the proceedinif r
Just as the vessel reached the water a rope attached t°,..elf_
bows became entangled in one of the supports to s''''der
folding, upon which several persons had climbed in corder
folding,
to obtain a better view. The support snapped ss,u the
causing the fall of the scaffolding, and resulting al,h,
serious injury of several of those seated thereon•
os-
sufferers were immediately removed to the Southern 11
pital, where they received prompt attention. we
The ship was taken in tow by two steamtugs, t° fog
to the Canada Dock, where she will be made readY
sea. She will be commanded by Captain Grace.