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

MARCH I; 1850,

Stoekdale sailed for,llsuritius with guano on the 20th
of No.vens:bee.. The French barque, Bordeaux-,Packet,
No,A arrived pa:„the 15th of November from River
Plate, landed labourers, and sailed fl")r.ltio Janeiro
Co repair ihaying. been Ole rocks in, the neighr
bourhood_of this dangerous coast. December. 11, ex-
-changed cologs With. We American ship Jqhn Gay, No.
22, blue buriee, lit, 47 40 S. long. 61 00 W., steering
.8.W., wind N.N.Y. January 19, American or Bremen
barque, No. 104, on, a white flog under the national one,
the latter net, clearly divtingutshed, lat. 5 55 S., long.
22 30 W. l'ebruary 24, spoke British barque Thomas
Henry, for Antigua, lat. 49,25 N., long. 725 W. Wind
The Jenny which eirrivefl at Plymouth from
London on, Sundity,,wasdespatehed for her destination,
Australia, this forenoon.
, Wind easterly.
..

• • • 44TPQINTWrIl.
WoOL)TiC.II Tui ~ 28.-gasor Robert Wilson Roberts
(1546), additicihal„4:iitte BleAbeitu, 56, steam-guard-
ship,., to be acting gaster of.the
, Mite RiPhaVd, V,,gainiltork;(lBl9), from the Blenheim,
to the Assistance , •
Clerk Char ee tichards (b) (1545),,;k0 the Assistant:lei
, papa*, ki., T. 4nstiu,, C. 8., with captain Qmtlianney
alid.the,geiter, ppyiber of the ,offtuers appoiited,to the
ObiPs, ..the 49$1c,„Rispedition,: arrived at Woolwich
dOetltyavd, and wkre iptrpdgee4l to, each other. They then
*eat on board the X!ioneer,, Lieutenant-.Commander.oe-
horultarid,examineit the progresis making on tgsrd that
vessel, The wnrigneii are ,unee,asipg in-, their exertiomi,
indla ponsiderahkpOrtion of. her deeklas been covered
With 'diagonal. plitqcieg, with a layer of felt betßixt the
Rew,and 014 (kap/ UuYill9r.9f- PAUlkera jut Also. em-
ployed veroanliong ler. -The Vessels at Black all are
also beitig bropeki:fo,rw4r4, wish the:greateit dispatclit •
. Coininander Rnrsyth was sent jut to attend
atthe raira inor,mpg relative to the command
of one Ase,spe); vegtiel,,:.fttting at Nuclei), The other, is
att4g .14,4hatigeaRk49, anima:waded, hy Cant Penny
formerly of the Adviep. whalc,r. was not decided.up
jtQ A late hum. viheillev Ocitninendpr, Forsyth would have
the command of the.yessel,, 41 a long „conference took
plicehetWeen him ancrCaptain Nuny.this evening at the
Admiralty. , , .

•
• -TUX utigAT I,IOIIVIERN. .
Aieneral heanyearly meeting of the shareholders Jof
this company was_, heldleaterday at the *London Ta-
vern,..Bishopage4e-street, Mr. IldmundDenison, M.P.
(chairman qt.' the board of directors) in the chair. -
On the ,CitAiRmAN moving that •the seal of the com-
pany be. OW to the registered shares which had been
entered, since the lastbalf-yearly meeting, • .
Mr. Puzs,Toti obiected,to ite being done, and alleged
ass -reason tbakhe haftniade, application at the offices
of the company for aninspection of the register, and had
been refused. _ .• _
Mr. t.B.i.oarza (the solicitor. pi the company) *Said
that the Act ofilParliament required the registri-
Lion of the shares 'to.'be sealed in order to attest
that-the gentlemen present at that meeting were share-
Older*. .;
ii ;.; , , - •
Tbe.VßAnut;ol4served- that unless. Mr.: Preston
could peint,out some-regulatity in the record of the
shares and• shareholders, there was .no- ground for the
objection behad taken.,
After considerable discussion the question dropped, it
being understood that)* resolution on the subject would
1L:43 subsequently proposed.
Welilow,ATT,..the.seeretary; then read the following
report:— , ' - . ' •
"_ln the autumn of last year that portion of the line
which completecthe railway cominunication with Lin-
colnshire,. Lanceshire„, and the West. Riding of York-
(shire was opened for. itraffic; and the Great. Northern
trains. have since .that period, been running between I
Peterborough (via 'Amok and, Doncaster), Wakefield,
and Leeds. 11l ,the . course .of text month the- short
branch from iKaotitingliy to, Burton - Salmon, near
Ferty-bridge, aril I be opened:lor traffic, thereby completing
the 'communication betlireec Doncaster and ',Cork and
Abe north. 1, .;,
'.4 At L'eedsoonvenient station accommodation has been
secured, and the necessary ,buildings are in progress.,
".A. portion, of the: South, Yorkshire Railway .was
recently opened to Demister, and: he Great Northern
trains have cpmmenced carrying coals from that district.
From the excellent-quality of time coals, end the re-
diked -price at whiCh they oin .be supplied on the Great
Northern line, a large traffic, must.result. Suitable ar-
rangementi- are in progress• at all- the station's'for the,'
development of .this traffic.. • •
From the, engineer's printed report it appears that
the line between London and Peterborough may be con-
fidently expected to be open for traffic in August next.
The works of the London anti other stations to Peter-
borough bare .been contracted foi' by public-tender on
satisfactory terms—the plans for the buildings being of
a plain and substantial character.

l' A contract for the fifteen miles from Corby by Gran t-
. horn to Hoegham, on which occur rather heavy works,
,requiring a longer time to complete than the rest of the
towns line, has beewlet to Mr. Jackson, who has ac-
tively commended . operations. The remainder of that
line, from the loop junction, north of Peterborough to
Corby, and north of I:longhorn to Retford—together
about 44 miles, and comparatively light works—will be
let so as to be ready, for traffic at the same time as the
15 miles abovemeatiorej, and thedirectors expect to see
the whole of these works accomplished in the course of
next year. _ _

" 13y the balance-sheet, sent out to the proprietors on
the 20th inst., of the capital received and expended to
the 31st of December, 1849, it is shown that 5,406,1571.
was the sum expended, and the company having powers
to !raise capital to the amount of 8,284,8001., a balance
of '2,894,277/. remained at that date to meet the exist-
ing liabilities of the company, and the further cost of
constructing the works and providing additional plant.
Whether such balance will be sufficient fur all these
purposes is a question often asked by the proprietors,
and one that has engaged the constant attention of the
directors. The total amount of liability on existing
contracts for works, land, and materials on 189 miles
of railway, 1,554,6324; to provide additional working
stock, 340,0001.; works to complete East Lincolnshire,
23,0004; cost of Stamford and Wisbeach Railway,
77,0004; total, 2,302,6324; balance applicable to the
construction of the remaining 44 miles of the ' Towns'
line,' 576,0111.

"As these works are not costly, the directors conclude
Chet any further capital required will be of inconsider-
able amount.

" It appears from the statement of accounts that the
balance of net profits remaining in the hands of the
company amounts to the sum of 15,634/. Bs.
" The directors recommend that out of that sum,
1.10,0001. be appropriated to meet the dividend upon pre-
ferehce shares, being 6s. lOid. per share or at the rate
of five per cent:, per annum thereon, the same to
be paid after the 31st of March next, in the manner
explained on the coupon attached to the scrip.
" &fere the general meeting in August next, the
conditions will have been complied with under which
five per cent, interest has been hitherto paid out of
capital upon the registered shares of the company; the
directors, therefore, think it right thus early,to intimate
their intention to cease to pay interest out of capital
after the current half-year, viz., the 30th of June next.
" This is the period at which one of the auditors re-
. tires,' and Mr. J. Chapman is in rotation to go out of
office; arid being eligible, offers himself for re-election.
" The report on the state of the company's accounts,
made by Mr. Chapman and his colleague,' Mr. Cattley,
And published with these accounts; it is hoped will,bo
satisfactory to the shareholders.
" With-reference to the important subject of an audit
Of railway accounts, the • directors beg to leave it in the
hand's of the proprietors, dad they suggest that Cora-
, inittee of three or five, to be chosen by the proprietors
from' the general body, be appointed to act on behalf of
this company with similar committees from other 'rail-
ways.
: • " Towerds the religiobs instruction of the labourers
- to be employed on the works on the towns line, con-
tracted for by Mr. Jackson, he is willing to contribute a
sum equal to that whiebthe cottipani, may aubseribe;
tie directors, 'therefore, recommend to the meeting -that
for this laudable purpose the sum. of 100/. be voted.
• , " With the intention of adopting the strictest economy
in all departments of the company the dileetors recom-
mend that the salary'of the secretary be reduced fro
VOO/. tq 6001, per annum.
• " The gentlemen forming the fourth of the board re-1
quired to retire annually in rotation; ere—the
Duncombe, M.P.; Mr. Richard Ellison; Mr.
William Mountford Nurse;• 'find' Mr. 'Francis Parker.
In consequence of the state of -hie health, Mr.-Nurse does
not offer himself fur re• election; but the three other
gentlemen being eligible, offer themselves, add aro recom-
mended by the board fotere-eleotion as directors.
"It has been intimated to the directors that it would
be satisfactory to the 'proprietors to introduce • into the
board'some additional gentlemen, WhO with commercial
experience and business habiti hold a large intereariii '
the undertaking. :They therefore Suggest that the for-
lOwing gentlemen, viz.; Mr. Grab am Hutchison, Glasgow;
Mr. Charles Atticus Monk, NewcastlerMr. Isaac Bur-'
kill, 'Leeds' Mr. George liutophrye, Lemore, Eardisley,
Hereford, be elected direct Ors. • ' -
The CILAIBMAN then .aid, that tts the report Was
•already in the hands of the iiroprietors, it would not be
necessary for him to occupy their attention at any great
lengthr The wish of the directors was, that their ace
'''eounts should be kept is a clear, intelligible, and honest
manner, and he believed they had best' so kept. It was
his opinion that it was 'quite as competent' to any' ac-
countant appointed by the company to adopt a system of
audit as intelligible and satisfactory as any that could
be devised by a Government officer. The question which
the meeting had to tiOnsider vial; whether the balkrice of
capital in hand Would' be Sufficient to carry into effect all
the objects whichehe'tempany had in view. That bs•
lance amounted to 576,000/.' That would nearly com-
plete the line from Peterbotough 10-Eest lietford. If the
proprietors desired thattile line Iran Doncaster to York,
a distance of 26 miles, should 'be made; that would require,
500,000/. more. 'Therefore; 1,000,0004 of additional capi-
ttl would be more than sufficient to complete their line to
York. ' There was no point on which he would more
readilyetake hiseharacter thate that with far, less than.
1,0001000/. of additional
,eapital they could arrive at
York upon'their own•lini.eqllear.) At a future period,
'therefore, he should feel it his duty to ask their permit-
liQU cibtain from rarlimeial Poiret to PAN that miga.

041Wointhotrbegoaur;Idptr000solotoppigin. gtoththe -epaGyremearitt 'lloofrthitieterren riccomto.th e
a anyh;a ruet.,h olthdeer a
sameitfte ,r
t.• she
iiu e 3h04 tl holiodf
nagwemareenittpw4oouul4ld obpee.t..i)qaters:aasenveernelt._,ry-o(nHsao,titr e,
h-oetirt.h)e- Prtitti ptir.,ie-
, t
4toirbtre;ibmititgthhceidnirethcetomrsgafnelliiinthee,yairp verb nshoetijru,setaifipeitiaite..'ccon-
tinuing to pay interest out of capital be-yet:WV:airtime.
The proprietors- must after that period take their chance
of a dividend, i,With reppeotao the-Tpidstioir of audit.,
he thought that au audit bill was very; desirable for the
public'st large, and was as necessary fOr the protection
of the directors as it was for the shareholders.. Butte
believed a system of audit might be framed that-.would
be perfectly satisfactory withqut the assistance or inter-,
ference of Goverirment.—(Hear,, hear.).. A Government
auditor ought not ,to be allowed to interfere with the,
commercial transactions of the country so, long ii.the
directors of those commercial, undertakings awed
honestly, which, he believed from Alia Buie.; forward they;
would do.7(flear.) The lion. eentlernan, ocinollided
by moving, that the repoft be read and adopted: -
Mr. GitAHAa•t illtrreurs-DA:moved,by way of amend.:
ment:-- • • -
" That therepert lie repeivycl with the addition of these.
words :,--1 That .the line- betreen AskernoandeYork'he
contracted feeforthwith, .and.-be, .completed beforp.the
works on the, liee,between Peterboresigle and East att,-
ferd*were prokeededwith.further."' ,I I - *
Ol ..A J. 1.• •-•
The Hon. Gentleman enteredleto a very:long statement
to show tile many and kreat advantages time would- ea-
crue to these:rawly, by the font:patio% of the line (being
261niles in ,eitePt-) frosp•Askern to.:Xerk.v Ale admitted
that it woOldreqnre 4rther capital, which it. 'meld be
necessary to reraphon preferentialeteek; but,hje esiiiitintte
waS,,that the savpiga *which...weak' be effected hsbavoicla
ing travelling over ilia, lines- 'of. two. otheranympanies
(which they were ..!y/Yr. obliged pa do) in. order to arrive
at York, and the profits, that would be. derived fronir ,the
traffic 01i-, the additaoNtl G mlleri (which woald-save a
circuitous route.ef porno miles); w,ottlel more than cam-
-1 peniste any Owe that ,wpaidl be 'incurred by raising
capital by way ,etench ,preferential.. ,shares. Eie-:eetr,
matedetheecist at 468.9,001,- Thee tratEi.of the 26 -miles
et 661. a mile per week, 81,1201.; the -expense of work-
ing at 261. a mile pee week, 27,040/. The 6 per -cent, on
the 468,000/. would. hi).
,28,080/,,, which, would leave a
surplus of g 6,000/. , By making these 2.6 miles the com-
pany.
pany would ireeenne independent of the York and North
Midland Company, but if they stopped at Askern their
traffic would boat the mercy of that company. -
cl
-
Captain HALL socondo4 the amendment. -, ;. . - ,
The Clan considered, the present amendment of
is HOD.,Friendte be in contradiction to his me-
ion of Ailguith last, when.he earnestly recommended the
irectors to expedite the onstruction <of the section line,
ailed the .Town's lme, from ' Peterborough to Retford.
is preeent_proposition was. that those works:; should be:
topped--(Ne4 to!), ,This would. suspend any -profit
rota the,money already laid out upon the Town's line.'
e would notderry the benefit to be derived from ex-
endingthe line to Yolk. The company had the' power
f making that extension. The,present arrangement for'
uniting, ever a pqrgon
,;of: two other companies' lines-1
ejonunteennd43tllitat htehy-itt.at Sar*ell
ately they mighk.parry the line on. to York; but for
e., present he, beyeeed ,the directors had acted Judi.'
01131 y in getting,pewcrs to.run over otherlines to York
, mpleting ether. portiens of the line.,(Cheers.) The'
rt
iseettocznarwi4terzizAttuietiqther capital. should
Askern to-York would 'be
en the directors asked leave to apply, to Parliament
t raise capital far that and other parposes, which would
b about this time next year. .He hoped, therefore; for,
t e sake of consistency, -the meeting would reject the
a endment,:. .
Mr. WA.,rens ,coniended.that the company was using
t e•-
,Taancaihire aud Yorkshire line,and the York and
'= orth, Midland Driest gloss. .: ,
. .
Mr, ANDDB suppcirted, the amendment; and on being
•a kid by a shareholder whether he was not a landowner
b the, projected line, he admitted that he was. This
asioned-much mirth, but which by no means diseen-
e rted the Hon.. Proprietor; who continued to address the
etiog for; a considerable time amidst the,greatest,pos-
s' le !uproar. _.: .., —•-; . - • - •
Mr.. G. UncHiaort denied the inconsistency ' which
had been imputad to him ,by .the chairmen, He had in=
t;„ ;led still to urge the continuance of the Town's line,
b the altered his intentioneelely on account of the ruin-
• s system which was.,pursued.by the directors of, pay-
in the contractors by debentures at 6 per cent.interool.
instead of In cash.
- The amendment was then put and negatived.
Attr.G. LIUTCHISoN demanded a poll, which was for
soble, time proceeded with during the other business of
the meeting, but the scrutineernominated on the part ef.
Ms-. Hutchisotrfinally retired from it. - -- -
Xs. FREEBODI then moved a second amendment,: to
tills effeet that the report be received, and ecommattt•!e of
consultation be appointed from the shareholders,, with
poiver to inquire into the past and proposed transactions
of the.cOmpany,.viith a view to report to the proprietors
asjto the amount of capital required to complete the
wrks now.in progress, and as to the utility or necessity
of:undertaking more hereafter. He believed that the
contracts already signed involved more than a million
of 'liabilities, from which they would not derive a far-
thing advantage; and the probability was that in the -
end-upwards of another million of capital would be
required, promising-as little return as the first. No
man at the, present moment could tell what was the
monetary position of the company or what the extent.
'of their liabilities.. The experience of the North Star-
ford.hire and other companies ought to operate as a
warning to themselves. The Hon. Gentleman was pro-
ceeding to show how profitless were the whole concerns
of the company, .when '
A. SHAREHOLDER observed that the object of the
speaker .evidently was to depreciate the .vajuo of the
sheres.--,(Great Confusion;)
• The amendment having been seconded, ,
The CHAIRMANsaid he had not the slightest objec-
tion to the appointment of a committee. if the proprie-•
terra did not voluntarily confide in , the directors he
would rather be without their confidence altogether. But.
he really.could not see what could be gained by adopting
theiameadment. The object had beeninfaet anticipated.
Without attributing to the Hon: Proprietor an intention
of decrying their property,, he feared that what he bad
-thine would have that effect. - '

The amendment was then put and negatived.
A poll being demanded, it was referred to the scruti-
neers previously appointed.
Mr. HuGnEs then moved the following amendment:—
" That the present system of auditing railway ac-
counts was objectionable, and that tbo meeting was fa-
vourable to a pure system of Government audit."
He believed that the object of the promoters of the audit
bill which had been prepared was to stave off the ques-
tion for another year; and unless the shareholders inter-
fered, and obtained the protection of Government they
would never be secure.
Dr. liziLLY seconded the amendment.
The CHAIRMAN observed that Mr. Hughes was the
first person he had heard declare that the only safe audit
was a Government audit. The Government had no wish
to interfere if the railway companies would show them a
plan by which a clear, intelligible, and independent audit
could be accomplished.
The amendment was then negatived.
Mr. PRESTON then moved—
" That the register of shares be open for the in-
spection of shareholders at all proper and seasonable
times."

After a very lengthened discussion the motion was
agreed to.—(Cireat cheering.)
The CHAIRMAN then moved—
" That Mr. Francis Parker be re-elected a director,
and that the following gentlemen be added to the direc-
tion:—Mr. G. Hutchison, Mr. C. A. Monk, Mr. J.
Burkill, and Mr. G. Humphrye."
Mr. G. Hurcnisoz; moved as an amendment.
" That Mr. Alexander Glasgow, who held 3,000 25/.
shares; Mr. T. Dunn,-who held 1,250 251. shares; Mr.
Monk, holding 500 shares (but whose father, Sir Charles
Monk, held 3,000 251. shares); and himself (Mr. G.
Hutchison), as the holder of 3,384 251. shares, be ap•
pointed directors in the room of the-four gentlemen who
retired by rotation." -
• The respective merits of 'these gentlemen were fully
scrutinized by the meeting, and after Some very ani-
mated speeches, the proposition of the Chairman was
acceded to; so that the tlirectors'list was finally adopted.
The report as'amended was then received, 'adopted, and
ordered to be printed. _
A dividend upon preference shares, beirig 6s. lOid. li
'Share (or at the ratn elf fire per cent. per annum), was
then agreed to; the same to, be paid, after the 31st of
March inst.
A committee of three shareholders was then appointed
to confer with the committees of other railway compa-
nies on the subject of audit.
A vote of thanks was theti'Oassed to the Chairman,
'"and the meeting separated. ,

We understand that the -directors of the Glasgow,
Paisley, Kilmarnock, and Ayr Railway Company, at
their meeting yesterday, resolved to recommend to their
.shareholders, at the general meeting to be held on the
6th proximo, to declare a dividend at the rate of 2} per
cent. per annum for the half-year ending 31st January
lash:e--Giasgoto Daily Mail.
Tun BRITANNIA BRIDGE.—The permanent longi-
tudinal beamp, along which the rails
will
ler nn
without are
s
placed, and -visitors may passfrsoomfishideettuo side d
for sake
difficulty, returning over the top
owforvkasrieotnyWe visited the
politelyconducted
range. The ponderous
through and over the tubular.
climbing
and werenl°l
variety, if
tube, and
machinery in use when raising the
m ine required for charging the hydraulic press,. were
ebenigng taken down from the chambers in the piers; and
there seemed little remaining to be done Leyond laying
the rails. The formal opening of the immense iron
gallery will not be deferred, it is asserted, beyond the;
second or third week in March; but experimental trains
will pass and repass much sooner than the period named.
—North Wales Chronicle.
MANSLAITGRTRR.—On Wednesday evening. Mr.
J. Payne, deputy-coroper for the City, held an inquest
at,St. Thomas's Hospital upon view of the body of lien-
jamin Pi eitage, aged 27, who received injuries on Friday
evening lust, in a -fight with two men Of the name of
Boshall (father and .son), which produced hit death.
The jury returned a verdict of "
Manslaughter
spinet
the two Deehallo."