The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-30 00:00:00

z'
..!7' '—
Months, to 30th .June, amounts to 9,3697, 1
Out of this sum the directors consider &ems('
rasted in declaring a dividend, and therefore a
tat ten shillings per share be allocated for
pose ..... . . Renewed application.
been made to Government for assistance to enable -
the directors to complete the line, they have now the
pleasure of stating that a loan of 120,0004 hairteese,i.
granted by the Exchequer Loan Commissioners, at an -;
interest of 5 per cent. This amount, together whir the •aa •
calls already made, and to be made, together i4A the _
_ - )
further loans which the company are empowered3cii
effect, will, the directors trust, enable them to prosecute
to completion the works with vigour. It appeared by
the statement of accounts that the total sum received, -
under the head of capital account, up to the :60th. June,
1850, was 722,7214 Bs. 10cl.; expenditure, 696.6924 10s.
10d.; revenue account receipts for ten and a half months
to 31st December, 1549, and half-year ending 30th June,
1850, 25,3721. 19s. 2d.; expenditure for same period,
16,0034 04. 3:1.; leaving a balance iu favour of the come
, pany on the firmer account on the 30th June, 1850. of
26,028/. 18s., and a balance on the same day in favour of
the cornpaiey, on the latter account; of 9,3691. 18s. I li;d:
After some discussion on the subject of publishitig the
names of defe,ulting shareholders, the report was adopted,
and the engineer's report was then read.
Mr. Fneeicet observed that the contract for the Boyne •
viaduct was for fifty er sixty thouised pounds, and no
-one would apply for it but a person who was perfectly '
competent to carry it out properly. The specifications were sometimes made out for favourites and certain
parties. He had been allowed to go over the plans, and
by the next meeting he would be in a position to prove what he stated was the fact
Sir JOHN M'NEILL (the engineer) then said that the
meeting had heard the observations of Mr. French in re-
ference
to the mode in which the specifications had been
got up,•namely, to suit particular parties. He stated •
that he had seen those specifications, and he (Sir John
M'Neill) called upon him to mention the specification to
which he referred. He had made a gross and unjustifi- •
ab!e charge.—(Hear, hear.)
• Mr. FRENCH—I will never shrink from what I state.
I asked two months ago to see the specifications, as I
wanted to fortify myself with them, and they were then
refused to me
&r JOHN M‘NEILL—You stated that yon saw :the
specification. Produce it. What is it?
Mr. FRENCH—How can I produce it now?
Sir J. WNEILL—You have stated a wilful untruth.
Mr. FRENCH—Any accusation I make I will maintain.
I have been granted liberty to inspect the specification,
and perhaps I will be able to do what I say at our next
meeting.
Sir J. M`NEfix—That wiil not be for six months.
You say you know the specification, and I call upon you
to name it.
Mr. FRENCH—There is no use in talking about it. I
have one in toy possecrion.
-Sir J. M'NErax.—What is it? There mot be.ss copy _
of it in the office.
Mr. FRENCH—Lot the matter drop.
Sir J. M'lsleix.a—l will not let it drop; and you should
be ashamed of yourself, sir.—(Hear.)
Mr. FRENCH—lndeed I am uot.
Sir J. APNEILL—Name-the specification, or • I will
say yen have stated what ie a wilful untruth.
Mr. WRIGHT condemned Mr. French for making such
an unfounded charge.
Mr. FRENCH retorted by saying that Mr. Wright was
in arrear, and was not entitled to be beard at all.
The SECRETARY stated that Mr. Wright had paid up ,
his calls upon Monday last.
The CHAIRMAN—I think that it is very unjustifiable
to bring forward a charge which implicates not only Sir
John M./sT, ill, but—
Mr. FRENCH—I did Lot mention the names of any
parties.
The CHArnmAs —There could not be any mistake. •
Every one must know that if anything were done that
was incorrect it was done by the engineer by whom the
specification had been drawn up; therefore it could not
be denied that their engineer-in-chief had been impli-
cated in the charge.—(Rear, hear.) Sir John McNeill
was quite right in saj ing what he has said; and upon
the part of the meeting I must soy that it was a very un-
justifiable attack upon him, and had been made by Mr.
French without being in a position to prove what he
asserted.—(Hear.) I will afford every opportunity to
bring forward against any person connected with the
undertaking any charge that can bo substantiated, but in
justice to all parties permit me to say that it is very un-
fair to bring torward so serious a charge without proof. ,
Mr. FRENCH—I believe that when I brought forward
charges heretofore they were to a great extent true.
The CHAIRMAN—To a great /extent they were true,
but your press nt charge is quite unjustifiable.
Mr. FRENCH—I will maintain what I assert, and
prove that I am right.
Sir J. M'NEILL—It is absolutely necessary that some-
thing should be done as regards this charge.
Mr. GARTLAN—I rise to order. Mr. French has
made an assertion to which Sir J. M'Neill has given as
positive and flat a denial as any man could give to an-
other. He has called upon Mr. French to bring for-
ward his proof; and he has not any to produce; and I
state in the hearing of the chairman that that charge
should be aithdrawn.—(Hear, bear.) If Mr. French
has the feelings of a gentleman and a Christian he will
withdraw ia—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. WRIGHT—But he has not those feelings.
Mr. FRENCH—I came here, Mr. Gartlan, to protect
my property, and have never been paid for making •
speech.
Mr. GARTLAN—It is false that I have been so.
The CHAIRMAN—I have already stated that Mr.
French was not justitit d in bringing forward so grave a
charge without al-4 proof to sustain it, and I hope the
matter will now drop.—(Hear, hear.)
A resolution recommsnding that 103. per share be
given to each preprh-trl., in the manner specified in the
report, was th,-n adopted.
Mr. WRIGHT stated that he was one of the original
subscribers; he held fifty 51-area. He paid up all he
owed with the exception of the last call. He bad been
out of town, and when he returned to it he paid the
money. Lie would not hare attended the meeting if he
had not paid everything that a as due by him.
Mr. Barlow then left the chair, and Mr. Wilson being
called thereto, the meeting was dissolved.

DIRECT LONDON AND PORTSMOUTH.
The ninth ordinary meeting of the proprietors of this
company was held yesterday at the London Tavern, for
the purpose of hearing a report from the directors as to
their proceedings in endeavouring to break up the com-
pany; but long after the hour appointed there was an
insufficient attendance of proprietors to constitute a legal
meeting, and the chairmen (William Arthur Wilkinson,
Esq.) said that he would merely explain how they were
situated. It had been found impossible to carry on the
line, and accordingly a Bill was prompted in Parliament
with the view of dissolving the company. The winding-
up Act, however, being under the consideration of the
L. gisleture, the Bill was not pressed. It was now found
that this Act was defective, and to make it available for
an incorporated company, such as theirs unfortunately
war, would entail g:eat expense and cause much delay,
and the directors were earnestly considering
how they could avoid both, end wind up the company
by private consent. The chairman then read several
clauses in the Act, to show what' numerous forms
had to be gone through, and stated that
other companies were in the same predicament as them-
selves, and it was to be hoped the Act would be amended
next session to render it more useful. The report stated
that " the attention of your directors during the past
six months has been wholly given to the means of speedily
dissolving this company. The proprietors are aware
that it was with this view alone your directors applied
to Exhalent in the last session for powers to abandon
the undertaking and dissolve the company,' and that the
progress of this all was stayed on the introduction into
the House of Lords of a general measure of relief, in-
tituled An Act to facilitite the Abandonment of Rail-
ways and the Dissolution of Railway Companies in cer-
tain cases.' This measure received the royal assent on
the 14th inst., at a period too late to enable your di-
rectore to lay it before you for your decision thereon at
the present meeting; but it is their intention to convene
a special meeting for that purpose as soon as it can be
conveniently dom." In conclusion, the Chairman said
he hoped they would be enabled to save something from
the wreck.—Thanks were then voted to the board, and
the meeting adjourned.

WATERFOitO AND LIMERICK.
After struggling f.ir three years with the difficulties
into which this company has been plunged by previous
mismanagement, the present directors have succeeded in
riming it from all its embarrassments. The Public
Works Lean Commissioners are about to grant a loan,
and Mr. Wm. Diagan undertakes to supply the remain-
der of the money required to extend the line to Fid-
down (within eight miles of Waterford), to which point
the river Suir is navigable for large vessels. The direc-
tors estimate that the entire cost of completing the line
to Watelf.ird %ill not excaed 400,0001., and that the total
sum expended from Limerick to Waterford will be un-
der 950.0001. Shares have b*en forfeited which give a
bonus of 40,6001 to the present proprietors, which will
reduce the cost to 910,0004 When completed, the capi-
tal account will stand as nearly as possible-10,000
share—stock, 500,0001.—10 an, 410,0001.—total, 910,000 L
—Evening Mail.

THE LATE DRIVERS ON THE

EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.

On Monday the late drivers on this railway ad-
dressed the following letter to the chairman and di-
rectors :

" Gentlemen,—lt is with deep regret on onr part that
a dispute should have arisen between your superinten-
dent, Mr. Gooch, and us, which has made a great sacri-
fice both of the interest of your property and of our la-
, boor. We, therelote, after (Alm consideration of the
circumstances of the dispute in question, cannot but
acknowledge that nor proceedings nave been much too
precipitate, and justify us in making an honourable com-
promise with you. We, therefore, respectfully ask fcr
your decision as to the resolutions forwarded through
Ashcroft, on Saturday, the 17th instant, or Whether
you rill entertain coy pert of them. We also beg to
add, that a deputation will attend at your office on Tues-
day morning to wait your decision.
" We are, gentleelen, your obedient servants,
(Signed) "Thos. Hors. "J. SLATER.
" J. Bees. "VINCENT GatTNDY."
To this an answer was returned in the shape of the
following extract from the minutes of the board :
" Extract :roue the minutes of the board of the 27th
August, 1850:—' Read a letter signed by Thomas Hope,
J. Slater, J. Wes, and Vincent Grundy, late engine-
drivers in the company's service. Resolved, that the late
engine-drivers and firemen be informed that if any of
them apply to Mr. Gocch to be appointed in this com-
pany's service, their applications will be considered as
vacencies offer, but the staff of the company's engine..
drivers and firemen is at present complete. "
Here the matter rests. The drivers still meet every
eveuippt Stratford, wad in the centime the balm,