The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-12 00:00:00

Viitfct Wbition

SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock.

CALEDONIAN RAILWAY.
(THIS DAY.)
A special general meeting of the proprietors of the
Caledonian Railway was held this morning at the Free-
masons' Hall, for the purpose of electing a new board of
directors, Mr. J. J. H. Johnstone, chairman of the old
board, in the chair.
The CinAintilx, in opening the business of the day,
observed that it was now time for the shareholders to
name the gentlemen whom they wished to elect as
directors; but as there appeared to be no difference of
opinion about the re-election of Mr. Copling, he would
suggest that that gentleman should not be called upon
to resign.
Mr. DEAN said he understood that shares to the ex-
tent of 170,0001. had been crt ated, and were registered
in the names of men of straw, who had not paid one
shilling upon them. Now he wished to know whether
those parties would be entitled to vote with the other
proprietors. _ . .

The CHAIRMAN was understood t 3 reply in the
affirmative.
Mr. DEAN had no hesitation in declaring, then, that
if these parties voted it would be a scandalous fraud
upon the meeting, and he should institute legal proceed-
ings in the matter.
Mr. HODGSON HINDE thought that would be the
proper course for the Honourable Proprietor to take.
Cap'ain PLUNKETT said the railway was .now in
so de?lorab!e a position, produced by the past acts of its
manager, that it was absolutely necessary for Parliament
to institire La inquiry with the view of ascertaining how
far the bona fide shareholders had been imposed upon by
Sot itious votes.

The directors proposed by the London Central Com-
mittee .were as follows:—The Hon. Edward Plunkett,
Captain, R.N.; John Copling, Jun., Esq., Hackney;
James Baird, Esq., Gartaherrie, Glasgow ; Thomas
Thornborrow Fa vcett, Esq., London; Thomas M'Mick-
ing, Esq., Edinburgh; Douglas Campbell, Esq., Edin-
burgh; Richard Potter, Esq., London; William John-
stone, Esq., Commercial Bank, Glasgow; John Duncan,
Esq , Aberdeen.
A rival list had been got up, substituting tho names
of Alderman Thompson, M.P., J. A. Campbell, Esq., of
Inverawe, Joseph Lo3ke, Esq , M.P., T. T. Fawcett,
Esq., Thomas M'Micking, Esq., and Richard Potter,
Esq. This list had been issued by parties interested in
the guaranteed lines, and it was for the shareholders to
elect between the two.

Mr. H. HINDS intimated that Mr. Alderman Thomp-
son declined to merry, and his name must, therefore, be
withdrawn.

Mr. PALLISTEE thought the interest of the preference
stockholders ought to be represented at the board, and
he would, therefore, suggest that some other name
should be put in the place of Alderman Thompson.
Mr. Locsm was ready to become a director if it would
restore harmony to the board, but if it were to create
discord, he must withdraw. Nothing but a strong and
unanimous board of directors could retrieve the railway
from its depressed condition.
Mr. CAMPBELL was only willing to serve upon the
same understanding.
After some lengthened discussion, the original list was
put to a show of hands and declared to be carried. A
poll was then demanded, and it was understood that the
contest should be between Messrs. M'Micking and Faw-
cett and Messrs. Locke and Campbell. The other names
appeared to be unanimously assented to, and these gen-
tlemen were accordingly elected as directors.
Mr. Loch, however, as the meeting had declared
alpinist him, would not How his name to go to the poll,
while _ _ _

Mr. CAMPBELL could not consent to act without Mr.
Locke, and he therefore hoped no poll would be taken in
his name.

The demands for the poll were accordingly with
drawn, and

The CHAIRMAN announced that the list proposed by
the London CeLtral Committee bad been carried.

Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the
meeting broke up.

BORDEAUX AND CETTE, AND
LYONS AND AVIGNON RAILWAYS.—(THIS
DAY.)
A meeting of the shareholders in these companies was
held this afternoon, ae the London Tavern, to receive a
report on the memorial which had lately been presented
to the French Government, in order to obtain a return
of the caution money.
Mr. Alderman SALQMOaS, chairman of the late Bor-
deaux and Cette Railway Company, presided, and reported
to the meeting the result of his recent visit to Paris to pre-
sent the memorial. He said that a more respectable docu-
ment than this memorial never emanated from any body
of shareholders, as it was signed by upwards of 100 in-
dividuals, some of whom were persons of considerable
wealth ; and the reasons for adopting it were
these : of er the events of the revolution, the
Minister of Public Works presented to the
Chamber of R-presentatives a plan for making
a railway from Paris to Avignon, by which it was
art anged that any company who would undertake to pro-
♦ide capital for its construction should have made over
to them gratuitously All the works on the Paris and Lyons
Railway, which had been abandoned, and sold at
a great depression to the Government. This
railway, which had cost six millions sterling,
was now open and at work, and he believtid the
aircrew produce was estimated at 4,0001 per week. The
Government besides offered to give a guarantee t f 5/.
per cent. upon the capital to be raised. The proposi-
tion was ultimately referred to a Committee of the
CI amb►r, but here there was such a col ision of inte-
rest th .t the decision of the Committee was delayed,
and a change • f Ministers having in the meantime taken
place, it was, at last, thought that the plan of the Cabi-
net w a altogether abandoned. He (Mr. Salomons) lost
no time in going over to Pane, and he was happy to
learn, vt hen ilitre, that instead a the measure being
withdt a Ne, it was the opinion of the Government that it
would be betti r for such a large undertaking to be con-
stcacted by private capital than the funds of the nation. H•
had an interview with the President of the Republic, who
expressed himself anxious that English and French
capit ts should combine together for the construction
of great public works,—as well as interviews with the
Minister of Pub is Works and the Minister of Finance,
and all (f them agreed in saying that they knew
no other body i f shareholders than those who composed
this meeting who had any claim to the caution money, and
to the uufinished works. Tne committee had since made
their report to the Chamber, and in a very few days it
would be put forward for discussion, and the only question
to be eettled was, whether the Government should make
the Paris and Avignon line themselves, or offer it to
tome private company on fair terms. The committee
had proposed that any profit beyond 5 per cent. should
be the pro; erty or the shareholders for a limited
period of five or ten ye irs, and that afterwards
any profit above 8/. per cent. should be divided
with the propriet trs and the Government. Now
he wished the meeting to determine upon some resolu-
tions, expressing their willingness to take a part in this
undertaking, on condition that their caution money was
added to the capital, which would be required for it, as
he thought they would only by some arrangement of this
kind be enab'e 1 to get some equivalent for what they
had lost.
After a desultory discussion, during which the
gene, al opinion appeared to be that the terms
offered by the French Government were of a very
favourable nature, it was resolved that immediate
swat ures be adopted to obtain a return of the
caution money invested by the Bordeaux and
Cette, and L) one Avignon Railways, or to have it brought
into account as part of the capital of the proposed rail--
way from Paris to Avignon.
It was then agreed that the chairman should be re-
quested to take the necessary steps to carry the resolu-
tion into off. ct.
A v,tte of thanks having been passed to the Chairman,
the meeting ser arated.

THE LONDON. GAZETTE.
(THIS EVENING.)

FOREIGN-OFFICE, FEB. 9, 1850.
The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. Elie
Beatty tiraff as Consul at Nassau, New Providence, fn.
the United States of America.
WHITEHALL, FEE. 11.
The Queen has been pleased to appoint the under-
mentioned gentlemen to be officers in the Artillery
Company of London:—
To be Captains, with the following seniority—James
Goodsell Middleton, Esq., John White Welch, Esq.,
Frederick Edward Horseman, , reter Morrison
Esq., William Thomas Robinson, Esq., Richard Bell,
Esq., John Brien, E,q., Edward Ellis, Esq., William,
Bokenham, E.q , Thomas Hall, Esq., William Chickall
Jay, Esq.
To be Supernumerary Captains—John James Iselir,
Esq., John Parker, Esq.
To be Adjutant, with the rank of Captain—William
Henry Snell, Eiq.
To be Lieutenants, with the following seniority—
Adolphus John Lewis, Gent., John Richard Lambert
Walmisley, Gent., Joseph Moreland, Gent., William
Jeremiah Jordan, Gent., George Baldwin Waugh, Gent.,
Thomas Mosdell Smith, Gent., John Pitt Bontein, Gent.
To be Quartermaster—George Bailin, Gent.
To be Physician—Henry Jesffreson, M.D.
To be Surgeons—William White Cooper, Esq.; John
Law, Esq.

CROWN OFFICE, FEB. 11.
MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THIS PRESENT
PARLIAMENT.
Borough. of Colchester—John James Robert Manners,
Esq. (commonly called Lord John Manners), in the room
of Sir George Henry Smyth, Bart., who has accepted
the office of Steward of her Majesty's Chiltern Hundreds.
GENERAL ORDER.
HORSE GUARDS, FEB. 12.
Her Majesty having beeen graciously pleased to com-
mand, that medals should be struck to record the
services of her fleets and armies during the wars
commencing in 1793, and one of these medals having
already been given, under the General Order
of the Ist of Juno 1847, to every officer,
non-commissioned officer, and soldier, who was present
at any of the battles and sieges referred to in the above
order, her Majesty his now been graciously pleased
further to command that one of the same medals shall be
granted to every officer, non-commissioned officer, and sol-
dier, who has not already received one under the above-
mentioned order, and who may have been present with
the army which performed the great achievements in
Egypt during the war ending in 1801.
Officcro and soldiers who consider that they huts a
claim to receive such medal are each to apply—as di-
rected in the General Order of the let of June, 1847;

the General officers having such claims through the
Secretary rf the Comrasnder-in-Chief of the army;
The Staff officers through the General officers under
whom they served,—if alive;—if not alive, through the
Adjutant-General of the army;—
Officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers of
regiments, battalions, and detachments, through the
commanding officer of the regiment, battalion, or detach-
ment at the time, if still alive. This will be known by
inquiry at the agents of the regiment resident in London.
If such commanding officer should not be alive, the ap-
plication, in writing, must be made through the Ad-
jutant-General of the army.
The :Board of General Officers is hereby by her
Majesty's command directed to take into consideration
—to investigate—the facts stated in each of these
several applications, and to report to the Commander-
in-Chief upon the same, for the information of her
Majesty, and to enable those commanded by her Ma-
jesty to deliver to the claimants the medals accordingly.
The Adjutant-General and the Military Secretary to
the Commander-in-Chief, will transmit to the Secretary
to the Board of General Officers such informa-
tion as they may have been able to acquire, to assist in
the investigations which the Board will have to make.
The Commander-in-Chief has been required to desire,
that the Board of General Officers will have alphabetical
lists made out of the names of the claimants to one of
these medals, with his rank.

Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to command,
that the departments of the Secretary at War and of the
Paymaster-General may furnish to the Board t. f General
Officers such information as the records of those Depart-
ments respectively can furnish, of the names of those
serving with the army in Egypt at the period at which
that service was achieved; and that the several Govern-
ments in India should be required to furnish to the
board of general officers in London such information in
respect to regiments sent to Egypt from India, of names
of the several officers and individuals serving on the staff,
or in the ranks of the several regiments employed, as
can be found in the several offices under the several Go-
vernments in India.
The several Governments in India will be desired to
form, at the Presidency of each of the Governments, a
board of officers, which shall have instructions to inquire
into claims referred to such board, whether by the Com-
mander-in-Chief of the Army, or by the Board of Gene-
ral Officers sitting in London, or by the Commander-in-
Chief of the Army of each presidency in India.
In extending this further mark of her Majesty's gra-
cious consideration to those officers, non-commissioned
officers, and soldiers, whose claims to a medal, on ac-
count of any of the services specified in the General
Order of the Ist of June, 1847, may have already been
admitted, an additional bar, bearing the word "Egypt"
engraved upon it, will be added to the clasp on which
the names of the several battles, at which such officers
and soldiers were present, are enumerated.
By command of Field Marshal the Duke of
Wellington, Commander-in-Chief.
Jour; MACDONALD, Adjutant-Geaeral.

ADMIRALTY, FEB. 11.
With reference to her Majesty's gracious intentions,
as signified in the Gazette of the Ist and 7th of June,
1847, that a medal should be struck to record the services
of her fleets and armies during the wars conimmencing in
1793, and ending in 1815 ; her Majesty has further been
graciously pleased to grant the Military Medal to the
surviving officers, non-commissioned officers, and sol-
diers of the army who served in the expedition to
Egypt; and her Majesty having signified her pleasure
to the Lrrds Commissioners of the Admiralty that Elas.i-
sures be taken for granting the naval medal, or a clasp
in lieu thereof, to the surviving officers and seamen of
the royal navy who served in that expedition.
All officers, petty officers, seamen and marines, who
consider that they are entitled to receive this mark of
their Sovereign's gracious recollection of their services,
and of her desire to record the same, are to send, in
writing, the statement of their claim to the above-named
medal or clasp, addressed to the Secretary of the Ad-
miralty, Whitehall, London, specifying the names of
the persons, or the titles of the documents by which it
can be established.

Such officer, seaman, or marine, as shall have already
received the naval medal for other services, shall receive,
instead of a new additional medal, a clasp with the word
" Egypt" engravers thereon.
By command of the Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty. _ _

W. A. B. HAMILTON,