The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-13 00:00:00

OSWESTRY AND NEWTOWN.

On Friday three meetings of this company took
place at Welsbpool—viz., the adjourned half-yearly
meeting and two special meetings. Sir W. W.
Wynn, M.P., presided.
_The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the direc-
tors' half-yearly report, an abstract of which has
already appeared in The Sun.
Mr. MINSHALL moved an amendment on thetwo
first paragraphs in the report, having reference to
the appointment of Mr. Piorcy as engineer.in-chief
and the circumstances that had led to his resigna-
tion and subsequent appointment of resident en-
gineer under Mr. Joseph Cubitt, and also as to the
slow progress in the purchase of land.
Mr. R. N. BROUGHTON seconded the amendment.
Ultimately, after considerable discussion, the re-
port was adopted by omittiug a portion of the first
paragraph from the words commencing '• the ap-
pointment" to "should be appointed," and wholly
omitting the second.

The meeting was then made special for the re-
ception and consideration of the report .of the com-
mi!tee of investigation.
The report, an abstract of which has appeared in
The Sun, was taken as read.
Mr. CARTWRIGHT moved—
" That negotiations as to the contracts of works with
Messrs. Thornton and M'Cormick be abandoned."
He stated that the opinion of the committee with
respect to this resolu ion was unanimous.
Mr. G. H. WHALEY seconded the resolution.

A letter from •Mr. Thornton (of tEe firm of
Thornton and M'Cormiok), was read. It stated
that they had been advised that the agreement was
valid, and they were determined to enforce their
rights.

Mr. MYTLAR (a director, and' one of the eight
gentlemen who signed the agreement with the con-
tractors) spoke strongly against the resolution.
lie deprecated any repudia'ion of the agreement.
The Rev. J. R. HARRISON said the question w.,s,
whether the provisional directors, having signed
the agreement with the full knowledge of its effect,
were not bound as men of honour to carry it out.
Earl Pewis (a director) strongly expressed his
concurrence in the observations of Mr. Mytlar,
and his determination to vote against the resolution.
They should see that reduction could be male by
limitindthe earthworks to a single line, and giving•
Mr. Thornton the opportunity of making another
es. imate.

The resolution was carried by a large majority.
E irl Powis demanded a poll, the result of which
showed a majority for the resolution of 678 on the
shares on which calls had been made in full, and
847 on shares on which the last call had not been
paid. (Clietv4.)
The CHAIRMAN said the directors had agreed to
give up the annual sum of 5001. allotted to them.
Resolutions were passed indemnifying the
eight gerulemen who had signed the agreement
of the 11th of January, 1855, from the conse-
nences thereof, the company undertaking to de-
mid them from any action or suit that might
be instituted against them by the contractors ;
the attention of the board to arrears of calls,
and to the immediate liquidation of all claims on
the company ; fixing the salary of the secretary at
2501. a-year ; authorising the directors to complete
the contract with Mr. Davidson for constructing
the line, and requesting them to adopt the most
stringent economy in every department.
Votes of thanks to the committee of investiga-
tion and to the chairman of the company closed the
proceedings.

CONVEYANCE OF MAILS BY RAILWAY.
On Saturday a large meeting of railway directors
and managers of railway companies was held at the
King's Arms Tavern, Westminster, to consithr the
propriety of opposing "A Bill to make further
PI °vision for the Conveyanc 3 of Mails by Railways."
Mr. E. Denison was requested to take the chair
until the arrival of the Marquis of Chandos, who
afterwards presidel
Mr. COATES was appointed to act as secretary to
the meeting, and, at the request of the Chairman,
stated his views with regard to the bill. lii his
opinion the main object of the bill was to give the
Pos. -office authorites absolute control of all that
related to the conveyance of the mail bags on rail-
ways, whether by mail trains or such trains as they
might think fit to use as mail trains properly so
called : to compel such trains to travel at night
at any sp ed they might prescribe, provided the
speed be not greater than that of an express train
during the day. Under the bill the Past-office
authorities would have the power to prescribe the
running of such trains as they may require, unless
an officer of the Board of Trade should declare
the running of them to be unsafe. He (Mr. Coates)
had been informed by competent persons that such
a measure would be impracticable, as a great part
of the goods traffic was carried over many lines
duriugnight, and such a power as that sought would
be incompatible with railway management, or the
public safety. They would be placed under the con-
trol of an officer of the Board of Trade, while
the railway companies would be held respon-
sible for all accidents and losses that
might result from such interference by
the Post office. The next important matter
in the bill was the sth clan e, which was exceedinly
difficult to understand. He had tried very hard to
interpret it, but could not succeed to his satisfaction.
He believed it was intended by the clause that the
Post-office should have the power to order a rail-
way company to alter the time of running the mail
trains, to delay others, and compel trains to run at
high speed in order to make up for lost time, either
from delays of the Post-office or the trains of other
companies. These delays and various rae C 3 of speed,
the temporary conversion of ordinary trains into '
mail trains, would complicate the working of the
trains, endanger the public safety, and cause penal-
ties out of number to be incurred by the railway
companies under existing contracts with the Post-
office. There was another clause, in which it was
proposed to enable the Post-office to forward its
mails bags by ordinary trains, including luggage
trains, without a guard or any attendant. The
companies were to receive the mail bags and deliver
them as ordinary parcels. This regulation would
involve the companies in great risks. A railway
company would not be at liberty to alter the time
of running a train without first having given 7 days'
notice to the Post-office, and also stating the time
of starting the train before and after it, so that the
Post-office might avail itself of either of those trains
should it be deemed requisite. It was also pro-
vided by the bill that the Post-office might send
blgs in ch,rge of the guard of any train at /d. per
mile for evely 1121 b. weight of letter bags, to be
paid for according to an average mileage and weight
to be decided by the Board of Trade. The 14th
clause referred to the mode of settling dsputes..
The present method was by arbitration and the ap-