The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-28 00:00:00

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RAILWAYS AND PUBLIC COMPANIES.

,• -METROPOLITAN.
The talf-yearly meeting of this company was
held yesterday at the London Tavern—Mr. W. A.
Wilkinson in the chair.
•Mr; •HENCHMAN, the secretary, read the reputt,
which stated that during the past half-year consi-
derable progress in the works had been made. A
large portion of the land was in the hands of the
contractors. An agreement had been concluded
with the corporation of London for the purchase
of their vacant land on the eastern side of Victoria-

street. and the directors had made arrangements for
the sale to the Great Western and Great Northern
Companies of so much of the land as would not be

The-CHAIRmAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, said the directors were more and more per-
suaded of the sound condition of the undertaking.
It would cost a great deal of money, but would re-
latively be a cheap undertaking. They were the
pioneers in an attempt to join the existing railways,
and he thought the result of their efforts would be
entirely successful.
Mr. PARSON, the Deputy-Chairman, in reply to
questions from Mr. Deputy Harrison, stated that
the estimated cost of their stations was put down
at £60,000, but he thought they must be enlarged,
and would cost £lOO,OOO, The improved junctions
with the Great Northern Railway and the Smith-
field-market would cost £lOO,OOO, so they would
require an additional.
,capital to that amount to
complete the main line and stations, making the
total capital about £1,233,000. With regard to the
Finsbury Extension, the Great Western and Lon;
don, Chatham, and Dover Companies considered it
a very desirable thing. For two lines of rails it
would cost £300,000 from Smithfield to Finsbury-
pavement ; if four lines were made the extension
would cost £450,000. They would then require a
station, which would cost about £lOO,OOO per acre,
and, as they would require six acres to accommodate
the companies who would use it, the cost would be
£600,000. The Great Northern preferred paying a
remunerative toll to subscribing to any of the capi•
tal. The Great Western and London, Chatham,
and Dover would provide a considerable portion of
the cost. They must have four lines of rails and
station of six acres, which altogether would require
£1,000,000. The toll from the Great Northern over
this extension would be 4d. for the long passengers,
2d. for short passengers between 20 and 50 miles,
ld. for suburban passengers, and 1-d. for metropoli-
tan passengers. It was probable they would have
quite as many passengers to and from the
Finsbury station as there were at London-
bridge, and, if so, there could be no doubt that
it would pay a fair dividend on the outlay. It
was not proposed that the Metropolitan Com-
pany should be liable for any portion of the cost
of the extension ; separate capital and separate re-
venue accounts would be kept, but the main line
and extension would be managed by one board of
directors. The Metropolitan Company would pay
tolls for the use of the extension, and the Exten-
sion. Company would pay tolls for the usirethe
Metropolitan line.
After some further observations, the report was
received and adopted; and resolutions were passed
to the effect that the meeting considered that the
extension from Smithfield to Finsbury-pavement,
as introduced into Parliament, would be highly
beneficial to the company, subject to the condition
of having a separate capital and revenue; authori-
sing the, directors to promote the same so as to
involve no liability on the Metropolitan Company ;
authorising the board to proceed with the two
bills mentioned in the report, and to borrow a
sum or sums not exceeding in the whole £283,333.
On the motion of Mr. T. Atkinson, the retiring
directors, Mr. Gilpin, M.P., Mr. Austin, and Mr.
Parson, were re-elected, and also Mr. J. Arm-
strong, the retiring auditor. A vote of thanks to
the chairman and directors concluded the proceed-
ings.

LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER.
Yesterday the half-yearly meeting of the proprie-
tors was held at the Westminster Palace Hotel,
Victoria-street ; Lord Sondes in the chair.

Mr. Holroyd, the secretary, read the report, an
abstract of which has appeared in The n.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving its adoption, said it
contained many points of importance. The Western
Extension had been opened, but the directors had
great difficulties to contend with, owing, not only
to the state of the road and the bad weather, but
also to the want of rolling stock. The former diffi-
cult 3 had been removed, but the latter still remained,
as the manufacturers had been prevented from de-
livering the locomotive engines. The line to Dover,
with the exception of the permanent station, was
nearly completed. The company, he trusted, would
soon be able to make arrangements for the better
accommodation of passengers to and from the Crys-
tal Palace. In order to carry out their plans com-
pletely the directors had given orders for the supply
of several large improved steam vessels for commu-
nication with the continent, and two of them were
now in course of construction.
Lord HARRIS, the deputy-chairman, seconded
the motion.

Several gentlemen having put questions on mat-
ters of detail, _ _

Sir C. P: RONEY, one of the directors, said there
had been a question put as to the right of the Me-
tropolitan Extension shareholders to attend that
meeting. That was a question of privilege, and
they would permit him to say that the Metropoli-
tan Extension shareholders formed a part in the
London, Chatham, and Dover Company, and they
had as much right to be present at the meeting as
those representing any other section of the system.
The capital was separate, but the management was
the same. With regard to the question put by Mr.
Hartridge, in reference to the Bickley and Becken-
ham line, he was sorry to remark that the hon.
proprietor had not been properly crammed by his
friends of the South-Eastern Company. (Laughter.)
Mr. HARTRIDGE—I object to such an observation.
Sir CUSACK RONEY—The proof was very simple.
Mr. Hartridge had made statements which cer-
tainly had not been derived from the London,
Chatham, and Dover Company in reference to the
Beckenham and Bickley line, and the only other
source from which he (Mr. Hartridge) could have
derived them was from the company's opponents,
the South-Eastern. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. HARTRIDGE—You are under a mistake.
Sir CUSACK RONEY—Then all he could say
.was
that Mr. Hartridge had been very much misin-
formed.h (Laughter.) After the assertion of the tion.
proprietor that he had not derived his inciornmoaney) on
from the South-Eastern Company, he
withdrew the remark he had made; (Sir at the same
impression time he must say that the on on his mind
was that it was strange how the hon.
proprietor
could have obtained his information. The fact
was that the reason which had induced them to go
for the alternative line was that they were abso-
lutely driven to take such a step instead of their
seeking it; the South Eastern presented every
possible difficulty with regard to the station between
Bickley and Beckenham. If they could get such
an agreement as the hon. proprietor had spoken of,
the company would be happy to secure it. But
they could not get it. (Mr. Hartridge—You have
got the opportunity of securing it). He (Sir
C. Honey) begged to observe that they had not
got it, and therefore they had taken the course of
obtaining the alternative line in order to make
them free from the control of the South Eastern
Company. (Cheers.) They would permit him
to say that the company did not seek this n6w
line ; it was forced upon them. They could never
independently develope their traffic without the
line, and therefore they were obliged to go to Par-
liament for it. (Hear.) With respect to the obser-
vations of the hon. proprietor (Mr. Alderman Salo•
mons), he remarked that the question referred to by
that hon. gentleman would be brought before the
shareholders at a special meeting to be convened for

NE WS PAPER'
73i;ti
av•P_ •
, !, • •
- •
the purpose ce considering it. TI
the traffic account of the Western Exns!ori
• .'s in connection with it would bete,
complicated, and the object of the bill was to endb,
the company, if possible, to make some arrange-
ment which would simplify these accounts. The
bill was merely permis.sive, and would only give
the company power to carry out such an
arrangement for the purpose above stated as the
shareholders might approve of. As regarded
the Metropolitan Railway, it .was proporied to pur-
chase the laud for fourlines of rails, but only to con-
struct the works for two in the first instance, with
the exception of the bridge over the Thames. The
directors believed that this traffic would be so
large that, after a time, the four lines of railway
would he required.
After a few remarks from .some of the shara.
I.olders, the report' and acemititS were unariiman4y
adopted. '
•
On the motion of Mr. Rees (of Dover), who paid
a high compliment. to the .directors their
management, of the lffairs- of the company, the re•
tiring. directors—viz., Mr. Cobb, Mr. :Edwards,
Mr. Hilton, and Sir John Tylden, were unani-
mously re-elected, as was also Mr. Coleman, tLe
retiring auditor.
A cordial vote of thanks to the chairman and
directors concluded the proceedings of the meeting.

17j F
Ty*

required for the metropolitan traffic. The direc-
tors had also concluded an arrangement with the
Great Northern Railway Company for the passage
of its traffic over the line between King's-cross and
Victoria-street. The directors had deemed it ad-
visable to introduce into Parliament two bills, one With the invariable tactics of zealous imbecility
for improvements in the means of communication
with the Great Northern Railway at King's-cross the Conservatives have succeeded is making the
and with the new markets at Smithfield, and also Church Rate the question of the day, till it is de-
enabling, but not compulsory powers, to widen the tided as it can only be decided. They have made a
line between King's-cross and Farringdon•street. great muster, they have collected all their strength,
The other bill was to authorize an extension of the they have prepared ovations for a victory, and
metropolitan system to Finsbury-pavement. have won a defeat quite sufficient to encourage
The report of Mr. J. Fowler, the engineer, stated
their opponents to the utmost perseverance. As
that altogether in contract No. 1 930 lineal yards
of permanent archway had been completed, and in many as 547 members voted yesterday on a question
contract No. 2 about 850 lineal yards of permanent which ere this has been left to half a house ; vet a
archway had been completed. The stations for the majority. of 15 left small hope indeed that the de-
entire line would be commenced immediately, and liberate judgment of the Commons will ever be
be completed during the autumn of this year. The reversed. The Lords, indeed, may confirm, or may
contractors were row In full oPeritiOn throughout overrule the decision. They may think the muster
the line,- and the More difficult parts of the work of 281 for this bill a matter of much or of little
had been overcome. and he anticipated that the importance. But one thing is certain, we had almost
railway would be opened for public traffic about said too certain. They will never see any inter-
April, 1862. The capital account showed that mission or abatement of this controversy till it is
£491,573had been received and £433,516 expended, settled. Session after session, whichever party is in
leaving a balance of £58,057. power, there will be a pitched battle on the Church
_ .
. _

CHURCH RATES.

--

Rate. It will be one of the first questions put on
the hustings, and every candidate for a popular
constituency will be obliged to declare himself on
this point. There are not a few who are of opinion
that Church Rates had better be abolished, and
churches left to voluntary support, who yet wish to
see the thing done very quietly, and who, above all
things, grudge the Dissenters a triumph. They
wish the rate could be put an end to, and nobody
be the wiser for it. They arc not permitted to hope
for so comfortable a solution. They will have to
fight or retreat for no one knows how long, with
endless losses and discomforts, and the gloomy
assurance of ultimate failure. They owe this
pleasant prospect to Conservative hypocrisy.
Every session there will be a debate of more than
usual vigour and interest, with a very full at-
tendance of members, in which the doctrines and
the discipline of the Church, its divisions, its scan-
dals, its " simonies," its nepotism, will be dragged
out into the vulgar light of day. By the time
that the tcne of the assailant has become too men-
acing and offensive, the range of the conflict too
comprehensive, and the annoyance too great to be
borne, the Lords will give in, and the present
measure will be passed just too late to secure the
peace of the country and a respite from agitation
upon Church affairs.
The leading idea on the side of the Abolitionists
was that this was a question of supremacy, and
that Dissenters and others who objected to a domi-
nant Church did not like to pay tribute to it. The
leading idea of their opponents was that this was
a case for compromise, that the compromise should
go with the abolition, and that the Church should
not be thrown at once ou the precarious support
of spontaneous zeal. Mr. Bright constitutes him-
self the mouthpiece of Dissenting feeling, and
takes upon himself to say that no compromise that
has yet come to his knowledge would be otherwise
than unpleasant to the Nonconformists. There is
so much to be said for this, and it tallies so tho-
roughly not only with the movements of Dissenters
but with the feelings of human nature, that it
must be accepted as a fair account of the matter.
Sir W. Heathcote, indeed, asserts that people
in general are quite content that others
should pay the rate so long as they are let off
themselves, and that public feeling consequently
has no real place in the matter. There never
was a more inadequate account of a question,
or less insight into the feelings that gave it
life. This is a question of ascendancy. Nothing
but a question of ascendancy would give so much
value to shillings, and so much importance to a sum
total of a quarter of a million or so. Peter's Pence
was a question of Papal supremacy, Ship Money of
the prerogative, and the American Tea Duty of
colonial independence. The Dissenters of this
country enjoy much toleration, liberty, social
power, and prosperity. What they want is dignity
and position. They may preach to everybody, con-
vert everybody, form congregations to any amount,
go into any parish, build their Chapel right oppo-
site the Parsonage or the Church, seduce every
churchgoer, and have crowded meetings when the
church is empty as the desert and cold as the tomb.
This is their case, and it very much resembles that
of the primitive Church, when congregations of
servants, soldiers, workmen, and slaves met in
upper chambers and catacombs, while Imperial
edicts in vain interfered in behalf of the old altars,
the old priests, and the old gods; and while the
gentlemen, the statesmen, and the philosophers of
Rome cared nothing about the matter. The Dis-
senters, however, arc not content to be tributaries.
They want not only social influence and social
power, which they certainly have, but social posi-
tion, and the removal of every mark of inferiority.
When their principal spokesman gives this account
of their feelings, we do not see that it can be dis-
puted ; nor is there any reason why it should.
But what compromise is there that can meet such
a feeling ? Already there is not only compromise,
but also much partial surrender. The present
very mixed and anomalous condition of the Church
Rate may be considered one great compromise.
Yet it gives no satisfaction. The abolitionists
resist not merely the actual rate, but the taxing
power vested in the majority of a vestry, and
the levying anywhere of a Church Rate
under the authority of law. As the Con-
servatives go on the unfortunate supposition that
the money is the matter in dispute, they do not
meet the case, and use a waste of ingenuity. Of
course, it will be said that, assuming the question
to be one of ascendancy, the present agitation
against the rate is not likely to stop with its abo-
lition, but will go on till it has reduced the Esta-
blished Church to the common level of all religious
communities. That Mr. Bright, and many besides
Mr. Bright, would simply use one surrender as the
argument for another, and would place the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury and the pastor of an
" Ebenezer" on the same level, we have no doubt,
But this does not affect the question whether the
church rate is a good ground upon which to fight
the battle of the Church. If the Church is
sure to
be beaten upon it she can have no object
general
in
making
pos-
siblel
av
the deofmeaetnafsorsehrieorusarams
sp.osslitblies,
notan a
and the worst
that she vindicates instance,ith eve r but set of
local prescriptions,
e of use, abuyse,p and dis-
f
anomaly, and in every stag
use gredeciding the question
variedinta this
faosre't themselves,
sfealevtes,tahne peopledecidingdit i
n no very friendly
the Her Church. own champions
spirit towards
seem to prefer this mode of settlement. They wish
to fparis
a
lil
l
esbaacnk on the Gaeta of the small rural
d claim from farmers and the tenants
of great gentlemen the rate which is refused by the
myriads of our large towns. They wish at
teeming have a few years fighting, and to make
the enemy pay for his victory at last. This is not
a wise policy. It is not the policy of good govern-
ment, or even of regular war. Tliat which is now
conceded in an irregular manner, and which must
be conceded wholly before long, may as well be
conceded now, when it can be done with some
grace and much quietness.—Tinics.

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inst., the Mangerton, of 993 tons, belonging to Mr. G. W.
Sweeting, of London, to sail from Plymouth for Moreton
Bay, Queensland,
at £l5 12s. 3d. per statute adult; to he
ready for the reception of passengers on such day as the
Commissioners may appoint between the .28th of March and
Sth of April.
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