The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-12 00:00:00

GRAND TRUNK RAILWAY OF CANADA.

The second reading of the bill to dispense with go.
vernment directors in the Grand Trunk Railway, and
facilitate the completion of the company's works from
Rivisre du Loup to Sarnia, was moved in the Legislative
Assembly of Canada, on the 24th uit., by the Hon. Mr.
Cayley.
Mr. BROWN said that a pamphlet containing certain
information as to the affairs of the company had just
been circulated. It it was important that the members
should possess themselves of the fasts in that pamphlet
he hoped the debate would not be forced on now, when
time had not been allowed for looking into it.
The Lion. Mr. CAYLEY said that, in accordance with
his promise given at the first reading of the bit he had
thrown all the information he could obtain into the
form of a pamphlet, to be la;d before the house. It was'
usual to produce such facts in the course of debate, but,
that they might be clearly understood, he bad put them
in the form of a printed memorandum, but certainly not
with the view of having the discussion postponed for
four or five days.
After a brief discussion the Government forbore to
press the second reading, which was adjourned to the
28th of April. There is little doubt that the bill will
pass : we find several organs of the opposition admitting
that the Government is much stronger than it was last
session. The Toronto Globe says that Governor Head
will visit England at the close of the Parliamentary
session.

WEST FLANDERS.'
Yesterday, at one o'clock the twenty-third yearly
general meeting of the above company was held at the
offices of the company, 61, Moorgate-street. There
was a numerous attendance of shareholders. The
President, Mr. William,P. Richards, occupied the chair,
The chairman read the report, which exhibited an in-
crease of receipts over the corresponding half year on
the old line of 865/, 13s. 11d. ; and on the guaranteed
line, which during that period had been extended nine
miles, of 1,1211. ss. 2d. It was necessary to bear in
mind that on the latter, especially on the Thielt branch,
little time had as yet been allowed for the development
of its traffic. The receipts of all tho lines from lst July
to 31st December amounted to 20,274/. 19e. 41., and
the total expenditure to 14,416/. 3s. 10d., which left a
balance of 5,358/. 15s. 6d. This balance, being added
to that of the last year, as well as to other sums, and
deductions being made for the first charges on
the undertaking, in addition to other items, left an
available balance of 5,0241. ls. 7d., and would al-
low a dividend of 3s. 6d. per share, carrying forward
a balance of 2411. 12s. 2d. to the next account. That
dividend it was proposed to declare at the meeting of the
company at Bruges, on the 16th of May, and the pay-
ment would be made at the offices of the company in
London and Bruges, on and after the 26th May, upon the
return of the directors and secretary from Belgium. It
was further stated, that in pursuance of the resolution of
the general meeting of the 17th May, 1855, the directors
had continued to apply the interest on 540 preference
shares, bought in by them on behalf of the company, in
the purchase and redemption of the company's original
shares, of which they possessed 235, in addition to 40
shares that had been purchased in anticipation of the
payments to be received during the present month. The
expenditure still continued below 2001. per mile for the
half-year. The report was unanimously adopted, and a
dividend of 3s. 6d. per share declared.

Madame Enderssohn's Musicale Matin43 takes place
on the 20th instant, on which occasion Madame Clara
Schumann makes her second appearance this season.
We have no doubt that a fashionable attendance will

prove their appreciation of Madame Enderssohn's high
position as an artiste.
A letter from Berlin states that Prince Napoleon is to
leave that city on the 13th, and return by way of Dres-
den and Munich. The Prince proposes to be in Paris
by the time of the arrival of the King of Bavaria.
THE TELECTAPH IN AllSTRALlA.—Arrangements are
making in Australia for establishing a telegraphic com-
munication between Melbourne and Adelaide. When
this communication is extended to King George's Sound,
and the telegraph is established between England and
Aden, news will reach Australia in 22 days.
THE LIINDHILL COLLIERY COLLISION.—The number
of bodies recovered up to the present time is 89, or
nearly one-half of those known to be in the pit at the
time of the explosion.
"NAVVIES" IN SPAIN. —Some agitation has been
caused at Madrid by the labourers employed in the works
of a canal having struck work, and. made some disturb-
ances, owing to the contractor, a Frenchman, having
determined to reduce the time allowed them for the
daily siesta from three hours to two ; but a detachment
' of troops was called out, and they were soon reduced to
obedience.

FINZ ARTS.—The select gallery of English pictures
of Messrs. Lloyd Brothers, late of Ludgate-hill, is to
be brought to the hammer on Thursday next, at Messrs.
Foster's sale rooms, in Pall-mall. It is almost a pity
to find a collection which boasts of one work at least of
most of the first masters thus dispersed under the ruth-
less band of the auctioneer, but a dissolution of partner-
ship which will give London two firms in art of the
same name instead of one, renders the sale imperative.
Thu sale is looked forward' to with some interest, as the
enormous prices which the works of the English masters
are now fetching has created quite a furor amongst col-
lectors, and the spirit of competition was fortunately
for English painters, never more rife. A splendid
assortment of water colour drawings will share a similar
fate on the same day, and from the crowded state of the
rooms, when we left them this morning, this favourite
class of pictorial rot will share its meed of patronage
from the lowa of pictorial exoellence.