The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-03 00:00:00

IWI P MAL PAR? lAUENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS. —Tins DAT.

The SPEAKER took the chair at twolve o'clock.
JOINT STOCK COMPANI S
E (VOTING PAPERS)
BILL.

The house went into committee on this bill.
Mr. D. GRIFFITH said the great object of the bill was
to enable persons to vote at meetings of joint stock com-
panies by a voting paper in preference to the system now
in practice, viz.—either in person or by proxy. At pre-
sent the proxies were sent in to the directors before the
meeting was held, and therefore the system was open
to great objection, because it nearly always hap-
pened that the proxies were used by the directors
to enable them to carry their own proposition
right or wrong. The voting paper was only to bo used
at an adjourned meeting, and then the parties giving them
to their friends would be in a position to. give expression
to their opinions after they had heard the question to some
extent discussed.
Mr. LAWSON said the bill was altogether useless, as it
would not carry out the object of the hon. gentleman,
neither would it be of the slightest benefit to shareholders.
After a short discussion the Ist clause was struck out
without a division, and on the motion of Sir F. Goldsmid
Mr. Dodson left the chair, and the house resumed.

SPIRITUAL DESTITUTION BILL.
Mr. AYRTON moved the second reading of this bill.
lie said when ho first brought forward the subject he was
met with the objection that the bill dealt with a small por-
tion of the country in preference to the larger; and the
object of this bill was to call upon the Ecclesiastical Com-
missioners to give a portion.of the Common Fund to relieve
cases of spirituel destitution in England. As that was
objected to, ho had consented to extend his measure to the
whole of England and Wales, and that the Commissioners
should at once be called upon to provide for the urgent
cases which presented themselves. The Common Fund was
made up mainly from the increased value of land and other
episcopal endowments, iu comparison with what they
produced when first given to the church, and ho thought
it was nothing but just that those places which had given
the wealth should have the first of the benefit. The Co-
mmissioners at the end of the year would come into an in-
creased income, by the falling in of the Finsbury estate, to
the amount of over £50,000 per annum; and therefore he
thought the overcrowded portions of the metropolis ought
to bo well-cared for. The Commissioners, he believed,
proposed a plan of making au appropriation to all places
with 5,000 inhabitants, so as to make up the salary of the
ministers to 1;300, but he contended that the Fpirittial
destitution of the people ought to be cared for before the
personal destitution of the clergymen.
Mr. HOWES moved that the bill ho read a second time
that day six months, because he believed the measure was
hostile to the commission in the largest sense. The Com-
missioners were anxious to relieve all cssss of siiritual
destitution, but the bill laid down such stringent principles
that be felt bound to oppose it in every way.
Mr. B. HOPE supported the bill.
Mr. WALPOLE said he should be strongly iu favour of
the bill if it were to give curates to populous places as
well as to augment beuefices, but as the Commissioners
had not sufficient funds in hand when they considered ,
the clauses which came under the existing act, he could
not support the bill. Moreover, if they adopted it
mde
they
would lose the largo benefactions which were now.a
to meet the grants wade by the Commissioners.
Selwyn,
A discussion ensued, in which Mr. Bruce, Mr.
m er
Sir W. fleatheote, and other embs took
mad e part, the ge a
simply
ral opinion being that the bill ought to be
permissive measure.
said the bill was compulsory
Mr. AYRTON, in reply,
only so far that the Commissioners should be called upon
to consider the casos submitted them, but it
was permissive as to the distribution of -its funds.
Ile was of opinion that for years greater.regard had boon
paid to the parson than the people, and it was to remedy
that that he had introduced the bill. It had been said
that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners were unable to
deal with the cases he had referred to, because the
cOnunigiouero had anticipated the L=l4 that More to

come into their hands. Ile denied altogether the right to
do so. The bill simply stated that where the population
exceeded 5,000 persons and:spiritual destitution existed, the
Commissioners should be at liberty to appropriate the funds
at their disposal. Ile contended that the poor had s
right to assistance from the fund which they
had helped to accumulate rather than that those funds
should be digtributed amongst parsons and patrons. He
was quite willing to alter the bill so far that the commis-
sioners should take the claims of populous parishes into
consideration concurrently with the other claims made.
Tho house then divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading 7B
Against it 173
Majority
The bill was consequently lost.
SEA. COAST FISHERIES (IRELAND) BILL.
Mr. BLAKE moved the second reading of this bill,
wide!' provided, among other things, to eppoint inspectors
to gnarl and protect fisheries, to cum.% certain restriction,/
milli respect to trawlite,, and to grant loins t.o fi~taeran ,n
for the repair of their bolts and gear. The measure would
be productive of touch good in Ireland, and therefore he
hoped tine house would consent to its s-contl reading, with
a view of referring it to a select committee, where its pro-
visions cetild be fully examined.
. .

I oral NAAS said' he should not oppose the progress of.
the bill, hot hosp. cially wished to guard himself agairst
the burp ,sitiot, that he was favourable to all the pr,vi-
signs ot ow ue•asure, and he !oust also ask that no further
step bo taken iu the matter Wit il al kr Easter, tha question
of referring the bill to a select committee being also left
open.

After some further discussion, the bill was read a second.
time.

MUTINY BILL.
This bill was read a third tbne and passed.
WATERFORD ELECTION COMMITTEE.

Colonel ADAIR brought up the report of the Wfat,.ftford
County Election petition. . The report stated that Edward
De Is Poor, Esq., was duly elected, and that no corrupt
practices were proved to ha7e prevailed at the late
election.
The house then adjourned.

LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET.

(This Day.)

Market unchanged.
8,000 bales.

Sales probably 7,000 Of

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

LONDON, April 3.—Wind this day at noon--North-
Westerly; light breeze and fine weather.
CARDIFF, April 2.—Wind N.E.—Sailed—Martin Kay,
for Monte Video; Aurora, for Quebec; Exchange, for St.
Jago de Cuba.
FALMOUTH, April 3.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Danne-
brog, from New York; August, from Odessa; Clio, from
Sulina.

LIVERPOOL, April 2.—Wind N.W.—Arrived—Darian,
from Jamaica.

Or DOVER, April 2.—Wind N.W.—Arrived—Skyfold,
from London for Baltimore, with lossgof maintopsail and
other damage.

(By Telegraph.)
GR►VESEND, Wednesday Morning.
Arrived, April 2—Hampton Court, from Iquique ; S i len-
tium, from Boston; Melita, from New York.
Arrived, April 3—Orion (steamer), from Rotterdam;
Maas (steamer), from Antwerp; Esk (steamer), from
Guernsey ; Leopard (steamer), from Havre ; Chevy Chase
(steamer), from Dunkirk ; Holland (steamer), from Ostend ;
Marshland (steamer), from Pillau ; Ireton (steamer), from
Boulogne; Sir Robert Peel (steamer) from Dunkirk.
Sailed—Lord John Russell, steamer, for Dunkirk.
Returned, damaged—Li Mountain, for New York.
DEAL, Wednesday Morning.

Passed—lndustry, for San Francisco; Tri Wave, for
Rangoon —both from London ; Darmine, from Groningen,
for Shoreham; Star of Sunderland, from the North, for
the West.

REPRESENTATION OF MIDDLESEX.--A requisition
is in progress to request Viscount Ranelagh to be a can-
didate for the county of Mildlesex. At the last general
election 4,000 signatures were given' to the requisition,
asking his lordship to stand, and he only withdrew front
the contest at the eleventh hour, owing to circumstances
over which he had no control.

ACCIDENT AND Loss OF FIVE LIVES IN A
CORNISH MINE.—The Cornish Telegraph of yester-
day reports a shocking accident which occurred on Mon-
day in the North Levant Mine, St, Just. While some
sloping was going on in the direction of an adjoining un-
used mine (the Old Maitland) water broke through, and
speedily gained such force that several workings became
filled, and five poor fellows were either drowned or crushed
to death by the debris. The damage done to the mine
itself is but trifling, and a portion of it only will be ex-
cluded from operations, and that, it is believed, but for a
few days only.
Lord Alfred Churchill, the lion. Ashley Pon-
souby, and General Craufurd had an interview with Lord
John Manners, at the office of her Majesty's Works,
Whitehall-place, yesterday.
SUPPOSED DISCOVERY OF A PLANET VERY CLOSE
TO TILE SUN, within the orbit of Mercury. The
story is a curious ono; and, says the Saturday Review, in
describing it. as follows : —lf Vulcan eventually proves to
be a reality, it will form one of the most ex .
traordinary instances of astronomical discovery effected
by a humble individual and by the rudest instru-
ments. In the year 1859, Le Verrier laid before the scien-
tific world his opinion that an error in the assumed
motion of Mercury might be accounted for by an unknown
body within the orbit of that planet, disturbing him by its
attraction. On this being made public, a humble country
physician of Orgeres, in the department of Euro-et-Loire,
in Franco, a certain M. Lescarbault, came forwardand stated
that on March 26 of that year he bad observed a transit of an
object across the Sun's disci which he thought might be a
planet. He gave as his excuse for not having previously
announced the fact, that he was waiting fora confirmatory
observation. This led to an interview between him and
Le Verrier at Orgeres, in which the great astronomer
alarmed to no small extent tho poor doctor by throw-
ing doubts on his veracity, and on the adequacy of his
instruments. "Tell me what you have seen." The tran-
sit was described in all its particulars. The astronomer
then inquired by what chronometer the times of first and
lastcontacthad been noted. To Le Verrier's horror and sur-
prise, the little doctor pulled out a huge old watch without
minute hands. He laughed ; the whole affair was either an
imposition or a delusion. " What, with that old
watch showing only minutes dare you talk of estimating
seconds ?" Lescarbault produced a pendslum—an ivory
ball attached to a silken thread, which, when hung on a
nail in the wall, Wit seconds. Rude instrument enough I
But how had the doctor counted the seconds? There was
no difficulty ; he was accustomed to feel pulses, and to
count their pulsations; and he did the sane with his pen-
dulum. The telescope is then produced, and declared
satisfactory. But now for the memoranda. The paper,
covered with grease and laudanum, is drawn from a recess.
Tho Orgeres' physician is at last caught in his own trap ;
the whole story ,is a fabrication ; there is a diffe-
rence of four minutes of time between the memo-
randa and Lescarbault's letter. How dare he play such
tricks on the scientific world? The physician explains
that the difference is between the mean time of his watch
and Sidereal time. Le Verrier becomes more courteous,
and begins to believe; the telescope is produced by which
the old watch was regulated to Sidereal time ; and the
doctor's story is now becoming more satisfactory and
consistent, even to the account he gives, how, being
short of paper, he made his calculations on a plank
and, in order to make way for fresh ones, planed off the
old. The savant is satisfied ;he believes, congratulates
the physician on his discovery, and departs, resolved to
give Loscarbault ail the credit duo to his achievement, and
to make his observations the bases of fresh calculations.
It is believed that this is a real discovery, though much
doubt has been thrown on it. There are several records of
spots having been traversing the sun with a motion much
more rapid than that of Mercury ; and, though no decided
confirmation has taken place since 1859, the question can-
not be considered decided by a negative of the kind, espe-
cially when it is considered that Vulcau—if there be a
Vulcan —is so close to the sun that the rays of that
luminary must tend to baffie the most careful searches
after his person.
Tit E BUILDING TRADE.—The joiners and quarry-
men in Barnsley and neighbourhood have struck
work for an advance of wages and a reduction in the hours
of labour. For a considerable time the question of wages
and hours of labour has been under discussion, and some
few months ago the committees of both trades laid before
the masters their grievances, and ultimately notices
were delivered by the men to the effect that on and after
the Ist of April the joiners wculd require ls. per week
advance and a reduction of one hour per day—viz., from
ten to nine hours—while the quarrymen required an
advance of 2s. per week. The twisters held several meet-
ings to consider the demands of their worklllol
ls with
regard to the joiners they agreed to give the extra per
week, but declined to concede nny reduction in the hours
of labour; with regard to the quarrymen, it was agreed to
advance their wages Is. per week. The latter class of
workmen hell a Inceting on Monday evening at the Griffin
Inn, when it was resolved not to commence work again
ouflatilliettiociinrr :tapdrsesl:ldt beenyy if3raommp 12i e2isl. w
to ith.
perhe NN.wagesoe
andwthnorsceicof tohNe qinaHrErynNteonnfFrootLnK COAST.—PALLING
to 24,5.
Sunday.—During a fresh wind a heavy sea— Pl
last
L night,N Gr
(reports Mr. French, the officer of coastguard) the French
schooner La Prudence, from
wasiron
wcastlekto Seville,ff with a
Institution,Tilife-boa life-boat
fortunately the means National the
whole of the crew,,use
o o f
r eLife-boatthisse u i rescuing
tche
e.
six in number.

, --- --------
" Ilave you read my last speech'?" said a vain
orator to a friend. " I hope so," was the reply.
The three ages of a United States Senator are,
Mile-age, Post-age, and Patron-age.
Why are railroad companies like laundresses?—
Because they have ironed the whole country and
sometimes do a little mangli►►g.
An Irishman being told that the price of bread
had fallen, exclaimed, " This is the first time I ever
rejoiced in the fall of my beat friend."

RAILWAY AND OMER COMPANIES.

ATLANTIC AND GREAT WESTERN,

A meeting of divisional bondholders in this coun-
try was held yesterday at the London Tavern—Mr.
Curtis in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN said he had been requested by a
committee of divisional bondholders to take the
chair. He bad seen in the Times a statement, ema-
nating from the committee of investigation, to the
effect that the present meeting was not held with
their sanction ; that it was suicidal and mischievous,
and only calculated to thwart the efforts of that
committee. Those who acted with him felt that
something should be done at once to secure the in-
terests of the bondholders. There was $1,000,000
now due for interest to the divisional bondholders,
and in the course of a few months another sum of
$1,000,000 would become due on the coupons. If
the Atlantic and Great Western Railway had been
sold a year ago it would have realised 10 per cent.
more than at present, as the outlay on capital ac-
count had increased by $6,000,000 in the interval.
He urged that the sooner the line was sold the bet-
ter it would be for the divisional bondholders. (No,
no.) lie contended that the line had been mort-
gaged for four times its value. In the ten months of
last year the accounts showed a profit of $1,000,000,
while the charge against capital for maintenance,
&c., was $1,700,000. He believed that the line had
not paid its working expenses. He was there to
answer questions and to arrive at the truth. The
large amount of the bonds and the high rates of in-
terest would be felt by some of the money lenders.
He did not see what chance they would have to in-
crease the revenue, as the trade between the west and
the east of America had been unnaturally extended,
and was now seeking another routeby water commu-
nicationthrough Canada. He contended that no com-
mittee of investigation could legally take the under-
taking in hand, and that Mr. M'Henry, as the largest
holder of shares, could not delegate his powers to
the committee. In reply to a question, he stated
that he and his friends held £lO,OOO of the bonds.
Mr. HARTRIDGE said as it was only a meeting of
divisional bondholders, he protested against anyother
class of bondholders taking part in the proceedings.
Sir W. RUSSELL, the chairman of the Committee
of Investigation, said there should be some resolu-
tion before the meeting.

The CHAIRMAN then moved a resolution to the effect
that, in consequence of the coupons of the divisional
bonds remaining unpaid, it was the opinion of the
meeting that immediate steps should be taken for
the foreclosure of the Atlantic and Great 'Western
Railway, and that a committee be appointed for the
purpose of carrying out the resolution.
Mr. D CINN seconded the motion.

Sir W. RUSSELL,M.P., said he had been appointed
the other day, at a meeting of the bondholders and
shareholders, chiefly to represent the interests of the
divisional bondholders on the committee. He had
held, i❑ the first instance, that the divisional bonds
were a first charge on the undertaking, and that
being assented to by the meeting at which the com-
mittee was appointed he consented to take office,
and he was glad to say that every member of that
committee held the same view with himself. There
was no occasion for any other movement in this
matter, as it was uncalled for, and might be mis-
chievous. He came there to resist any attempt of
that kind. It had neen stated by Mr. Curtis that he
and his friends represented £lO,OOO of the divisional
bonds, while the committee of investigation, of which
he was chairman, represented above £2,000,000.
Without asking for proxies they had a large number
sent them voluntarily, the senders expres,ing the
most perfect confidence in the committee, and at the
same time authorising them to use the proxies for
any purpose that might be deemed expedient. Ever
since the appointment of the committee they had
acted with perfect unanimity, and had already held
15 meetings during the past three weeks, each meeting
being from half-past 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They had had
the valuable assistance of a gentleman from Hol-
land, who had gone through the accounts and re-
ports on the part of the divisional bondholders in
_Rolland and Germany. The committee had been in
communication with the divisional bondholders in
America, and at once got their promise of united
action so as to place the committee iu the front posi-
tion. This united action immediately resulted in the
appointment of a gentleman in a very high position,
Gen. Potter, with the full concurrence of the com-
mittee, to be receiver in the interests of all con-
cerned. They thus secured the co-operation of the
trustees of divisional bondholders and other classes
of bondholders in America. Iu confirmation of this

he yesterday received per telegram information from
New York to the effect that Gen. Potter, a gentle-
man of high standing, had been appointed by the
American Courts receiver of the Atlantic and Great
Western Railway. By this step the protection of the
property was as far as possible assured against any
hostile action on the part of individual creditors, or
sections of creditors, and the righs of all parties
would now be dealt with in their strict legal priority.
Mr. M‘lienry had placstd his shares in the hands of
he committee, as trustees for him, giving them the
full voting powers. The receiver would also act as
managing director of the company. The committee

had delayed making their report until they were in
full legal possession of the line. As to the cost of
repairs and renewals of the line, it was estimated
that £150,000 would noi; be exceeded. Mr. Cyrus
Field and other American authorities who had gone
over the line had reported to the committee very
favourably as to the value of the property. Every
means would be adopted to pay the divisional bond-
holders as soon as possible ; they did not intend to
ask them to hold over their coupons any longer than
was necessary to obtain the money to pay them.
They would not have to wait long, as the wish of
all parties was to pay them forthwith. 14 hoped
there woull be no divisions among them, as Mr.
Ridsdale, a very large divisional bondholder, had
given his support to the committee, and in a very
short time they would have full powers to deal
with everything. There was a great deal of surplus
land and other property, which would be prepared
for immediate sale in the hope that money would be
forthcoming. The committee had engaged Mr. Tre-
vethick, an engineer on the London and North-
Western, who was recommended by Mr. Brassey to
go to America. As they had done everything they
could since their appointment, he would ask them
to adopt an amendment he- had to propose.

Mr. HARTRIDGE recommended that both the mo-
tion and amendment should be -withdrawn.
The CHAIRMAN said he was very glad the meeting
had been held ; they had heard the various opinions
of those concerned, and he was very much pleased
with the statement of Sir W. Russell. He assured
the meeting that the process of foreclosure and sale
of railways in America was much easier and more
rapid than they supposed. He then formally gave
the committee 60 days' notice that he would require
some satisfactory information as to the payment of
the coupons by the end of that time. He had known
of the sale of nine or ten railways in America in a
very short t ime.
Mr. CAVE, M.P., said he told the meeting when
he was elected that the committee would attend to
four cardinalpoints—first, to obtain legal possession
of the railway, to stop the leakages on the line, to
get all the money they could, and to distribute it in
accordance with strict legalpriorities. Letters of in-
struction had been sent out to the officials, and the
traffic was now increasing. He believed it would be
a most valuable railway, that the divisional bonds
were worth par, and that the consolidated bonds
would be very valuable.
The resolution and amendment were withdrawn,
and a resolution expressing
the entire confidence of
the meeting in the committee of investigation was
passed, and a vote of thanks to Mr. Curtis for his
conduct in the chair concluded the procacdings.
GREAT WESTERN OF-
ND
A
The report of the directors statesthcalt—the aggre-
gate expenditure on capital account to
Januar;3l
amounted to £5, 311,253,1eavin
rr a balae
£98,869
The outlay on capital account daring
tef
hehalf year
had been £137,689, including outlay on the Petrolia
branch railway, five miles in length ;
extension of
siding accommodation, proportion of cost of re-
building in stone and iron the new bridge acrossthe
Twenty-mile Creek at Jordan, &c. The gross
traffic receipts amountedto £331,513, and thework-
illa
0 expenses, including renewals, to £166,632

leaving £164,881. From this was deducted £17,498
for interest on Government loan ; £32,772 interest
on bonds, &c., £48,229 loss on conversion of Ame-
rican funds, £4,109 on account of Detroit fire
claims, £643 loss on working Erie and Niagara
Railroad, and £1,596 costs in suit of Suspension
Bridge Company, leaving, with a surplus of £2,649
from the preceding half year, £62,682, out of which
the directors recommended a dividend at the rate of
3 z per cent. per annum, free of income tax, and
carrying £1,129 to the credit of the current half
year. The loss on the conversion of American
funds was £48,229, against £73,317 in the corres-
ponding half of 1866. The conversions were made
at an average of 142. The gross receipts for the half
year amounted to £331,513, against £387,039, show-
ing a decrease of £55,526, but as compared with
previous corresponding half years they exhibited a
steady increase. The narrow gauge track between
Suspension-bridge and Windsor, and of the iron
ferryboat for the transport of cars across the Detroit
river came into successful operation on the Ist Jan.
The short line of five miles from Wyoming to Pe-
trolia had been taken over by the company at a cost
of £10,039, and came into full operation on the Ist
of January. The gross earnings of the Detroit and
Milwaukie railway for the year 1866 amounted to
£340,935, and the working expenses to £210,443,
leaving a net revenue of £130,492, of this £78,753
was absorbed in the payment of interest on all prior
mortgage bonds of the company. The directors
looked hopefully to the future.