The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-01 00:00:00

EASTERN UNION RAILWAY.

The half-yearly meeting of this company took placo
yesterday, at Radley's Hotel.
J. C. Cobbold, M.P., took the chair shortly afer two
o'clock, but in consequence of the illness of Mr. Hutton,
the accountant, the Ducting was adjourned to the 22d
of March.

EAST ANGLIAN RAILWAY.
The usual half yearly general meeting cf the proprie-
tors of the East Anglian Railway was held yester-
day, at the London Tavern; Mr. Henry Bruce, Chairman
cf the Board of Directors, in the chair.
The report stated,
" The revenue account tor the half-year ending 31st
December, 1849, showed a nett revenue amounting to
8,327/. 1 ls. 9 1., which was a considerable improvement
on the result of the preceding half-year. The total re-
et,ipt, amoun,te7rl to 19,1531., and tho expenditure to
11,825/. 85. 3J.'
Adverting to the liabilit!e; of the company, the report
observed 0;ot, " a; there was4no prospect of raising funds
for the payment of the over--ue bonds arid other liabili-
ties in the only way provided by their Act of Parlia-
ment, viz , the issue of new shares, they called a meeting
of bondholders, which was held on the 21st November
last, at which holders of bonds to- the extent of 100,0001.
were present. The affairs of the company were fully
e.tatOltiPlebe meeting, and a request was made that they
''Phoula the company an extended period for the
faynie—nt o he bonds. The result of this meeting was
the appoin nt of a committee, who, after haring fully
2.1
investigated the affairs of the company, made a report to
a attbsequentitteeting, held on 17th December, at which

the simple contract creditors, as well as the bondholders,
had been requested to attend. At this meeting the re-
port and resolutions proposed by the committee were
unanimously adopted, as was also an agreement to the
following effect:—
" 1. That the legal proceedings then pending aga'nst
the company at the suit of any of the parties thereto
shall be discontinued.

" 2. That no further proceeding at law or in equity
shall be instituted against the company before the Ist of
January, 1857, in respect of any debt (whether due at
the date of that agreement or not), or of the interest to
become due up to the 31st December, 1849.
" 3. That until payment of their debts, whether car-
rying interest or not, the company shall pay interest at
the rate of 5/. per cent. per annum, from the 31st De-
cember, 1849, half-yearly.
"4. That the committee of creditors, chosen at a
meeting of bondholders, shall be allowed to cc-operate
with the directors in the management of the company's
business, so long as that agreement remains in force.
" 5. And that the continuing members of the commit-
tee shall appoint another creditor to act in the place of
any member of the committee dying or becoming bank-
rupt, or otherwise ceasing to act.
"It is further provided that the agreement may be
revoked by notice in writing to the company, given
by three-fourths in number of the committee, when-
soever they in their discretion think it desirable
and for the interest of the whole body of
creditors so to revoke it. And also that it
is to become void if interest be unpaid to any party
thereto for twenty days after it has become due and been
demanded in writing, and for ten further days after no-
tice of default in payment has been given to the com-
mittee or any member of it.
" And moreover, that it shall cease to take effect on
the Ist January, 1857. And in case of cesser of the
agreement by effluxion of time, or of its earlier deter.
=nation by either of the means aforesaid, the several
parties are to be remitted to all their rights and remedies
against the company.
" The committee of creditors, four of whom are resi-
dent at Lynn or the neighbourhood, have accordingly
co-operated with the board since Ist January, and no
payments are made without their concurrence. Amounts
are periodically paid to Messrs. Everard's Bank, to the
credit of the trustees of the creditors, to meet the ac-
cruing interest. All supplies are paid for every fort
night, or monthly, as teay best suit the parties furnish-
ing the stores, so that every article is purchased upon
the most favourable terms."
The report of the auditors was as follows :
" In passing your accounts for the last half-year, we
have endeavoured, as far as circumstances have enabled
us, to show them in a form simple in detail. We are
happy to announce the closing of all payments thereafter
accruing on the capital account, as from the 31st December
last, which, we believe, will simplify, and from time to
time demonstrates the exact position of your affairs.
In dealing with the new capital, created under the Act of
1849, we have adopted the directions of that Act, by intro-
ducing, under a separate head, the capital raised there-
under, and the application there: f. We refer you to the
recommendations contained in our report of the 15th
August last, in reference to the law and Parliamentary
expenses of the company ; and we trust that, when
these accounts are in course of final adjustment,
they will be dealt with in a manner satisfactory
to all parties interested therein. We are happy t.) find
that your affairs are being supervised by a committee
of your creditors resident at Lynn, and that the gentle-
men forming the committee are devoting their time and
energies to its duties. Referring again to our last re-
port, we are gratified to state that your directors have
made certain of those deductions in the office staff
to which we then adverted, and that they have
also made final arrangements fer the immediate
removal of your offices to premises contiguous to
the Lynn station. We have dealt with the revenue
balance by debiting the same with the sum of 5,3061.
9s. lld , paid for interest on debenture bonds and other
liabilities, with which we conceive the same is properly
chargeable; and we have placed the remaining balance
of 2,1911. Bs. 4d. to the capital account. In conclusion,
we recommend that all officials of the company do find
the security of the Guarantee Society, as a measure of
prudence."

On the motion of the CHAIRMAN both these reports
were adopted; and after some discussion the ordinary
business of the day was disposed of, and thanks having
been toted to the Chairman the meeting termirw.ed.

DIRECT LONDON AND PORTS,
MOUTH RAILWAY.
The eighth ordinary meeting ef this company was con-
vened for yep. t oalay, at the Len lon Tavern, but there not
being a sufficient number of proprietors present to con-
stitute a meeting, is was adjourned to a future day.
The report of the directors was nevertheless read, as
fol lows :
At the meeting of the proprietors on the 30th Au-
gust, 1849, there was not a sufficient number present to
constitute a meeting of the company.
" It will therefore be well for the proprietors.to rats:
to the report then presented; at that time the company
had teen restrained by the judgment of the Master of
the Rolls, in the suit " Cohen v. Wilkinson," from pro-
ceeding with the formation of so much of the company's
line as lies between Epsom and Leatherhead, and your
directors, under the advice of counsel, were prosecuting
an appeal to the Lord Chancellor.
" Mr. Cohen had likewise presented a petition under
the Joint-Stock Companies' Winding-up Act., for the
dissolution of the company, and Mr. David Salomons
had filed a bill in Chancery, praying amongst other
things, that the toll agreement between this company
and the London, Brighten, and South Coast Railway
Company might be declared illegal. At this period this
company's powers for t eking land compulsorily had
expired.
"In the month of November last the appeal t the
Lord Chancellor against the injunction gra'tted by the
Master of the Rolls, was argued and decided adversely
to this company. The injunction therefore con'inucs in
full force, but Mr. Cohen's petition was dismissed, on the
ground that incorporated railway companies were not
within the provisions of the Joint-Stock Companies'
Winding-up Acts.
" Under these circumstances, it appeared to your di-
rectors that the only proper course to be pursued, was
to ask of Parliament special powers for the dissolution of
the company; but before taking this ster, the board had
an interview with the Commissioners of Railways, when
the position cf the company having been stated, the in-
tention of Government was solicited, relative to the intro-
duction of some general measure for the dissolution of
incorporated companies. In reply your board were in-
formed that the Commissioners of Railways had not
determined the course they should pursue, and that this
company had better take such measures tar their own
protection as they thought desirable.
"In consequence, the solicitors were instructed to
take the requisite steps for presenting to Parliament a
Bill for the abandonment of the undertaking and the
dissolution of the company; and according a Bill is now
before the House of Commons having this object. The
Bill was read the first time on the 11th inst , but its
further progress is stopped until after Ea!t:T.
"Meantime a Bill has been introduced into the House
of Lords by Earl Granville, one of the Commissioners
of Railways, to authorise the abandonment of the whole
or portions of railways. Should such Bill pass, there
will be no necessity for the further prosecution by this
company of its own measure.
" The attention of the proprietors has already been
drawn to a suit in Chancery, instituted by Mr. D. Salo-
mons, as a proprietor in the London, Brighton, and
South Ccast Railway Company. To that suit objections
were taken, not only by this company, but by the Brighton
Company, who are likewise defendants, that the suit was
multifarious. The Master of the Rolls, in argument, allowed
the objection of multifariousness, but permitted the
plaintiff to amend his Bill. He has accordingly done so,
and by his amended Bill he has abandoned that portion
which related to the toll agreement entered into with the
Brighton Company, and he charges that 24,5541. ss. was
illegally paid in respect of 4,677 shares out of the capital
of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway
Company, to the Direct London and Portsmouth Rail-
way, and that the last named company received such
moneys with full notice and knowledge that the same
were being so paid to them illegally, and by a breach
of trust, and that the said Direct London and
Portsmouth Railway Company concurred and as-
sisted in such breach of trust. And the plaintff submits
that under the circumstances the Direct London and
Portsmouth Railway Company are liable to repay and
replace to the funds of the said London, Brighton, and
South Coast Railway Company, all the aforesaid sums
which have been so paid thereout in respect of the said
4,677 shares.'
" And one part of the prayer of the Bill is—
"'That the defendants, the Direct London and
Portsmouth Railway Company may be decreed to re-
pay and replace the aforesaid sums with interest
thereon.'
" The directors are advised that there are grave ob-
jections to the form and substance of this amended Bill;
and they have accordingly authorised that such objec-
tions should be taken.
"The object sought by the amended Bill is of great
importance to this company ; the circumstances are
very complicated, and it would be scarcely possible
tit o give the necessary details in a report, even if
rthesetemspuz;
were prudent so to do ; but the proprietors may
,M:fediiisczttotursd willwi diligently provide for
ma,,ltAe tat:lt:l7oe
will observe that the funds of thpeencdoemdp;anthye proprietorsare
nearly
the same as at theheexpiration of previous half-year."
fsauececoeussnttulis
appended;
spare no exertions to
DEATH BY SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION. The fol-
lowing extraordinary occurrence is related in the
Gazette des Tribunaux :—" A. few days ago, in a
tavern near the Barriere tle l'Etoile, a journey-
man painter named Xavier C—, well known
for his intemperate habits, while drinking with
some commies, laid a wager that he would eat a
lighted candle. His bet was taken, and scarcely had he
introduced the fl uming candle into his mouth la hen ho
uttered a slight cry, and fell powerless to the ground.
A blueish flame was seen to flicker about his bps,
tad on an attempt being made to offer him
assistance, the bystanders were horrorstruck to
find that he was burning internally. At the end of
half an hour his head and the upper part cf
his chest were reduced t 3 charcoal. Twa medical men
were called in, and recognised that Xavier had fallen a
victim is spontaneous combustion. This conflagration
of the human frame is frightfully rapid in its progress;
bones, akin, and muscle, all are devoared, consumed,
and reduced to ashes. A handful of dust on the spot
where the victim fell is all that remains."
ENLARGEMENT OF TOTHILL-FIELDS PRISON.—An
extensive piece of ground, generally known as Ediott's
Lawn, hitherto a plantation, has been purchased and the
timber is being felled for the purpose of enlarging the
Tuthill-fields House of Correction at Westminster, in
order to carry out the system of classification of pri-
soners.