The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-18 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

am instructed by the Board of Directors to in-
form you that the accounts for the past half-year having
been submitted to them, they have decided upon recom-
mending the payment of a dividend for the half-year of
£2 10s. per cent. on the consolidated stock of the company.
—I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
July 16, 18.59. FRED. SLIGHT, Secretary.

Her Majesty and the Prince Consort received
yesterday, by electric telegraph, the melancholy intelligence
of the death of the Queen of Portugal, cousin to her
Majesty and to his royal highness. This totally unexpected
event has caused great sorrow to the royal family.

CHURCH RATES AT DEPTFORD. —On Friday
evening last a vestry meeting of the ratepayers of St.
Nicholas, Deptford, was held to consider the question of
making a church rate for the ensuing year. The chair was
occupied by the Rev. Dr. Sketchley, vicar, and the estimates
having been read, Mr. Churchwarden Hillman moved that
a rate be made of 3d. in the pound. The motion was met
with laughter and cries of " Don't you wish you may get
it ?" and, notwithstanding the appeals of the rev. chairman,
a seconder of the motion could not be obtained. Mr. An-
drews and other ratepayers congratulated the vestry upon
this result, which rendered an amendment unnecessary.
A Jamaica South Coast Railway is proposed,
with a capital of £60,000, in £5 shares. It is to consist of
a line of 11 miles, to a point called Old Harbour, and will
form a continuation of the existing Jamaica Railway which
connects the port of Kingston with Spanish Town. The
Jamaica Legislature have authorised a guarantee of a
minimum dividend of 6 per cent. for 40 years on the
estimated cost.
Rival. COLLECTORS.--At Worship-street Police-
court on Friday Mr. James Baynton, who assumes to be a
rate collector in Spitalfields, was charged with having as-
saulted a broker, who, by instructions of Mr. Gardiner, the
appointed collector for the new division of the parish, pro-
ceeded to levy a distress for poors-rate. The collector, the
broker, and the beadle went to the defendant's house, when
he called out, " I won't pay ; I am still the collector ;"
and when the broker entered the house, the defendant
struck him on the head with a staff, which was wrested from
him by the beadle. The assailant was committed for trial.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL EDWARD RAILT, K.C.—
This gallant officer, whose death was announced a few days
ago, was one of the few remaining heroes whose service
commenced in the last decade of the 18th century. He
entered the army as ensign in the 2d Regiment, or Queen's
Royals, his commission dating 1796; lieutenant, 1797;
captain, 1810; and major, 1818. Colonel Railt first saw
active service in the Irish Rebellion, having been present
at the taking of Wexford by Sir John Moore. He next
served under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, _was with General
Maitland in the secret expedition to Quiberon Bay, was
present at the siege and taking of Aboukir fort, and at all
the military movements in Egypt down to the blockade and
surrender of Alexandria, when he was created Knight of
the Crescent, and received a gold medal from the Sultan
for his services. In 1808 he went to Portugal under
General Acland, was present at the battle of Vimiera and
at the occupation of Lisbon, marched with Sir John Hope
to Salamanca, joined the army assembled under Sir John
Moore, and accompanied it in all its operations to the battle
of Corunna, at which he greatly distinguished himself.
He accompanied the expedition to Walcheren, under the
Earl of Chatham, and was present at the siege and capture
of Flushing. He was aide-de-camp to General Houston in
Portugal in 1811, and was at the battle of Fuentes D'Onor.
In 1812 he was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General of
the north-west and central inland districts, under Sir Thos.
Maitland, was on the staff at Portsmouth as Assistant
Quartermaster-General in 1814, and was on duty there at
the visit of the Prince Regent, and the other sovereigns
and distinguished roan of Europe. In 1816 he was ap-
pointed Deputy Adjutant-General to the Forces in the
)4gliterranean. ill which service he continued till his re-
tiremient in 1829, by the sale of his commission. In 1848,
since whine time he has served as barrack master in various
he received the Peninsular medal and four
ected with the arra -
clasps, and was aonn y for o 2 years.
less active, and
In the Liverpool Cotton Market, on Saturday,
uoTtahetions tended up-
Railway Share
business was rather
prices re-
mained without any alteration of importance. The
wards.
saleslkl a a:
closedo un amounted
steadily, ioloyo, abuadles