The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-14 00:00:00

RAILWAY MEETIW77S—(This Day.)

LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN.
The half-yearly general m-eting of the shareholders
of this company was held this afternoon at Euston
guar° station, the Martinis of Chando3 in the chair.
The report and statement of accounts already pub-

lisbed were taken as read.
Tee CIIAIRMA.N regretted the small attendance of
shareholders at the half-yearly meeting, since the pub-
lication of the report and accounts before the day of
meeting, though it materially lessened his labour.; in
explaining the state of the company, he regretted it
should have caused so thin an . attendance. The
Noble Chairman then referred to the various para-
graphs in the report, explaining the state of the com-
pany, as well as the intention of the directors relative
to their future proceedings. In reference to the ac-
counts, he stated that they were enabled to pay a divi-
dend at the rate of 5 per cent. ; but it might have been
increased had the improvements of the line bet n charged
to capital rather than revenue. As it was, the divi-
dend was most satisfactory, considering this was
the least productive half of the year. It was pro-
posed to take powers to raise additional capital for the
purchase of additional trucks, and the erection of houses
on the Stow Valley line for the accommodation of the
servants of the company, who vi ere too often demoralised
by the wretched state of their dwellings and the bad cha-
racters with whom they were thereby brought in contact.
Referring to the late fire at Camden-town, the noble
chairman said, that the loss had been much exaggerated.
Instead of is being a quarter of a million it was
only a few thousands. With regard to the intro-
duction of a measure late in the session to obtain
new and extraordinary powers over the railways of
the kingdom for the exclusive benefit of the post-office
department, but which had been thrown out, the noble
Chairman said that a clause was inserted in it to regu-
late the speed of railways. He bad no faith in legislative
enactments in regulating speed, and was satisfied the
more Parliament interfered the greater would be the
failure and danger to the public. The Manchester, Shef-
field, and Lincolnshire company had broken its agreement
with the company and joined the Great Northern with
a view of extracting a portion of the South and North-
West traffic ; so far however as it had gone the attempt
had failed, and the directors believed it would result in
the loss to those who had made it. They feared nothing
from such unjustifiable aggression ; the profits of the
company could not and did not rest on such agreements
which were liable to be broken and disturbed at any
moment, but the accommodation they afforded the public.
The interest of railway companies and the public was
identical. It was for the interest of railway shareholders
that the lines should be worked so as to afford them a
full and fair remuneration for their outlay, and for the
public that the lines should be well and efficiently
worked, and the traffic fully developed. Neither of
those results lay in forced competition under special cir-
cumstance?. That was the policy which guided the
directors, and he believed they engaged the confidence
of the public in consequence. The noble marquis con-
cluded by moving the reception and adoption of the
report.
Mr. BENSON, deputy-chairman, seconded the motion.
Mr. RILEY of Liverpool, condemned the policy of the
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway Com-
pany, and at the request of a large and Efluential body
of proprietors he wished to make an addition to the
report, expressing confidence in the directors and urging
them to continue the policy they had adopted toe ards
their competitors in the North.
Mr. Demme BASSETT seconded the motion.
Me. LooKE, M.P., said that, on a former occasion, the
directors listened to a suggestion of his, that the locomo-
tive district should be moved from Wolverton to Crewe.
A very efficient officer was appointed to superintend
that department, who had been instrumental in saving
30,000/, a-year. Without cause that man had been dis-
missed, and he (Mr. Locke) censured the conduct of the
directors in that respect, and said he had lost all confi-
dence in them.
Mr. PIINCHARD complained of the increased working
expenses arising from a want of proper supervision.
Last year they were 41 per cent., and now by the figures
in the report they were 60 per cent.
Mr. HADFIELD, M.P., asked for an explanation
of the cause of the diminution of dividend. They were
increasing their traffic, but appeared to be working for
the benefit only of the servants and the public
judging from the diminution of dividend. During the
last half-year the traffic had increased 65,0001. but it had
c05t34,000/. to earn it. The traffic for the past week
was 74,0001. it was high time that a more economical
system was adopted. He called upon the shareholders to
get rid of a tax that greatly reduced their dividend, viz.,
the duty on the passenger traffic that amounted to 10
per cent. Last year they paid into the Exchequer
51,1391, 17s. 3d. duty on the passenger traffic, to the
detriment of the dividend. By proper management the.
dividend might be increased to 7 per cent.
A Shareholder asked the cost of the additional buile".-
L Lilo.. proposed to be erected.
The CHAIRMAN-18,0001. - -

Mr. DEANE called attention tothe law and Parliament
charges, which for five years amounted to 144,0001.
There was still the ever recurring item of 10,000/. nod
5,0001. for these charges, old the shareholders ought to
be informed whether it. was for annual work or for the
payment of arrears. He deprecated the directors gc
inb
to war with the Great Northern Railway by a reckless
competition with that company, but rather to rest on the
legitimate development of traffic.
Mr. HALEY urged the necessity of strengthening the
hands of the directors by unanimously adopting the re-
port.
Mr. DIcLINSON expressed his alarm at the growing
increase of the capital account. The increase was at the
rate of 300,0001. per annum, and during the last fourteen
years it amounted to 4,749,3761. •
A SHAREHOLDER corrected the error of Mr. Dickinson
relative to the increase of the capital account. That
increase had t Iken place in 7& years only, and not 14,
at the rate of 632,0001. per annum. As that account
increased their revenue decreased.
After some further discussion the report was adopted.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.
The 23d half-yearly meeting of the shareholders in
this company was held this morning at Easton-square
Station, Sir Harry Verney in the chair. The reper, was
adopted unanimously.
The usual dividend of 4 per cent. was declared pay-
able on the 25th of August next.
Mr. R. Carter and Mr. 3. M.`lnues, the retiring
auditors, were re-elected.
Thanks were voted to the Chairman and Directors,
and the meeting terminated.

Advices from Russia mention that the Emperor in-
tends shortly to revisit Germany, where he has left the
Empress, and that an interview will then certainly take
place between his Majesty and the Emperor Napoleon.
THE BANE OF EGYPT.—The report of the Bank of
Egypt. issued preparatory to their meeting on the 25th
of August, states the profits of the Ba'nk from the 7th
of July, 1856, to the 30th of June, 1857, to have been
13,0211 ,-after appropriating 1,1401 to the reduction of
preliminary expenses. A dividend of 6 per cent., free
ofincome tax, is recommended, and 1,7711. will remain
is be carried forward.

DEATH OF SIR JOHN BENT, KT.—Our Liverpot
correspondent reports the death, yesterday morning a'
4 a.m. of Sir John Bent, Knight, in his 71st year. The
deceased gentleman was highly respected in Liverpool,
and in the year 1851 occupied the high position of chief
magistrate of that borough, on which occasion her
Majesty and Royal Consort visited the port, and con-
ferred the honour of knighthood upon its mayor. Sir
John Bent was the head of a large brewing establish-
ment, and his private residence was Edge-hill, where he
departed this life. His demise is sincerely regretted by
all the inhabitants, and as a tribute to his memory the
national ensign at the Town Hall floated half mast high
throughout the day. Since his mayoralty, up to Nov.
last (when ho retired through ill health), deceased was
an alderman of the borough.
FATAL ACCIDENT UPON THE RlVER.—Yesterday after-
noon the body of a young man was taken out of the
Thames, near Vauxhall-bridge. The deceased was as-
certained to be Thomas Snow, aged 21, the eon of Mr.
Snow, bookbinder, of No. 6, Peter's-hill, Doctors'-
commons. On Sunday evening last the deceased hired
a small boat at Queenhithe to take an excursion up the
river. When between Millbank and Vauxhall-bridge,
he was noticed to stand up in the boat to take his coat
off, in doing which he overbalanced himself and fell into
the water. Several boats rowed to his assistance, but
ein The inquest
he was not seen to rise t) the surface. The drags were
but the body was not
iques; will be held this day
(Friday).
RIOT AND BRUTAL OUTRAGE IN SHROPSHIRE.—
found obtained
till andy stperudtay, to
.
lAA night week a most desperate and bloodthirsty
struggle took place between some Irish and English
labourers, at the Fox and Duck Inn, Pave-lane. It
appears that being the wakes week a dancing party was
held at the above inn, when about 11 o'clock in the
evening, some Irishmen were drinking in the kitchen,
and one of them went into the ball room and com-
menced quarrelling, whereupon be was ordered out.
He then went and fetched his companions, when they
went into Mr. Macnell's bed room, and set about
breaking the bedsteads and windows. They then placed
a sickle round Macneles neck, and another round the
neck of his daughter. A general row then commenced,
in which brutal violence was used on both sides, several
having received deep flesh wounds, and others were so
severely beaten with sticks that their bodies presented
mass of blood. The
the appearance of one Irishmen,
the worst of it, some of them not being
we believe, had
able to be removed from their beds. An inquiry will
be made in a few days before the magistrates.—Shrews.
bury Journal.
Advices from Buenos Ayres report the opening up of
a new and- important market on the western frontier of
Brazil, by the banks of the Uruguayana, but it is feared
that the shipments to it have bees excessive,