The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 21, 1868.

IiAILIVAY INTELLIGENCE.

NORTH LONDON.

Tha ordinary half-yearly meeting of the share-
holders in this company was held yesterday at the
board-room, Euston Station, under the presidency
of Mr James Bancroft. _ _

The report, an abstract of which has already ap-
peared, was presented, and taken as read.
•

The CHAIRMAN, in moving its adoption, said that
it would be hardly necessary to remind the pro-
prietors that the past half-year had been one of
general depression in the trade of the country, and
had to some extent, restricted and diminished the
traffic of all railway companies. And although in
an absolute sense it had not reduced the traffic of
the North London he thought that he was right in
saying that the increase had not been such as they
might have expected if trade had been in a flourish-
ing condition. They had carried during the last
six months 10,131,494 passengers against 8,110,598
during the corresponding period of the preceding
half-year. The merchandise traffic showed 321,477
tons, as against 300,011 tons, showing an increase
of 21,466 tons. The minerals carried were 325,298
tons, against 412,231—the decrease under this head
was caused by the falling off in the quantity of coal
conveyed to the metropolitan district. The live
stock conveyed were 289,010 head against 164,916,
showing an increase of 124,124 head of cattle. On
the whole, therefore, there was a large increase on
three items, whilst on the other hand had it not
been for certain exceptional charges made to re-
venue the working expenses would have shown a
decrease. The salaries of the staff at Agar Town
and Old Ford were brought into the account, a
renewal account of £1,500 was also brought in for
the first time. In the locomotive establishment
£4,500 had been carried forward as a fund to meet
contingencies, as against £1,672 last half year. He
complained strongly that in one instance compen-
satiOn to the amount of £3,500 had been awarded

to a passenger from whom the company had only
received three-eighths of a penny as their propor-
tion of his fare. In another case £l,lOO had been
awarded to a passenger, from whom the company
had received a fare of fourpence. He hoped that
the expenditure for the half-year would be deemed
satisfactory. The balance brought forward this
half-year was £4,129 as against £1,183 last time.
Mr. DEAN seconded the motion.

Mr. CROSIER thought that it behoved the corn-
pany to get rid of all the traffic from foreign lines.
He was of opinion that it did not pay them, and,
considering their liability in cases of accident, he
thought that it would be advantageous to the
company to discontinue it. Ho moved an amend-
ment to that effect.
Mr. WEsTwooD seconded the amendment.
The CHAIRMAN said that the board had given
notice to the Great Eastern to discontinue the ser-
vice from Bow to Fenchurch-street. The receipts
were small and the risk great, and if the directors
of the Great Eastern thought it necessary to con-

tinue it they could work it themselves. The
board, however, did not take the same view with
regard to other lines. The net sum received from
them paid for the working, and the North London
by working the lines commanded the whole of the
traffic over their own system.
The amendment having been withdrawn, the
report was unanimously adopted.
A dividend at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum
having been declared, the proceedings terminated
with a cordial vote of thanks to the chairman and
directors.

LLANELLY RAILWAY AND DOCK COMPANY.
The half-yearly general meeting of this com-
pany was held at the Westminster Palace Hotel
yesterday afternoon ; Mr. John Biddulph was in
the chair.

The report stated that "the gross earnings of the
original undertaking for the half-year ended 30th
June last were £21,973 17s. 4d., being an increase
of £6OB 17s. 6d. over those of the corresponding

period of last year. The working expenses
amounted to £12,136 3s. ld. After payment of in-
terest on debentures and proportion of rent of the
Vale of Towy Railway, &c., altogether amounting
to £2,983 19s. 31., there re:nains a surplus for
dividends of £6,007 33. 10d., applicable as follows,

viz., preference dividends on the A (preference)
stock and B (preference) shares, amounting to
£2,585 11. s. 2d., leaving for the ordinary stock
£3,421 12s. 81, out of which your directors re-
commend a dividend for the half-year at the rate
of 3 per cent. per annum. The revenue of the un-
dertaking is increased by a sum received from other
undertakings for use of rolling stock and running
trains, &c. The rapid advances made for some
years past in the receipts from traffic has suffered
a temporary check, owing to the general depression
of business. The Vale of Towy Railway is at pre-

sent leased jointly to this company and the London
and North-Western Railway Company. This
arrangement took effect on the Ist of April
last, since which date the company have been
in receipt of one-half only of the earnings,
and have been subject to the same proportion
of the expenses of the Towy Vale line. In com-
paring the revenue of this year with that of 1867
allowance must be made for the loss of about one-
ninth of the productive mileage of the original un-
dertaking, or 5i miles, this being one-half of the
length of the Vale of Towy line. The working ex-
penses are largely increased ; to some extent this is
apparent only, having been caused by working
trains for other undertakings, for which there are
corresponding receipts on the other side of the ac-
count, but the item of expense wherein the princi-
pal addition appears is the maintenance of the per-
manent way, upon which it is necessary to effect re-
newals and improvements to an exceptional extent,
in order to provide for the heavier engines and more
numerous trains the opening of the Central Wales
Railway will bring upon the Llanelly line. The ut-
most attention is paid to economy in carrying out
the works, but the whole expense being charged to
the revenue of the day presses heavily upon it.
Three new engines have been added to the stock of
locomotives. It is the purpose of the directors to pay
for them out of revenue, and £1,380 is charged on
account of them in the expenses of the half-year,
besides the amount included in the hire and pur-
chase of rolling stock. The contract for working
and repairing the locomotive engines was termi-
nated ou the 31st of May, and the directors trust in
taking upon themselves the direct management to
effect a saving in that department. By a bill pro-
moted in the late session of Parliament the Llanelli
Harbour commissioners sought powers to convert
the agreement for the sale to them of the dock at
Llanelly at certain conditions into an immediate
compulsory vesting of the dock in them. In conse-
quence of the opposition of the company the mea-
sure was not passed in the form presented, and by
mutual consent the agreement itself has been an-
nulled. The time prescribed for the construction
of the authorised new dock of the commissioners
has been extended. The earnings of the Carmar-
then line undertaking during the half-year amounted
to £3,269 2s. 7d., and the working expenses, with
tolls payable to the Carmarthen and Cardigan Rail-
way Company, were £2,780 19s. 10d., leaving a
balance of £4BB 2s. 9d. towards the payment of in-
terest on debentures. The opening of the through
route will, it is believed, have a material effect upon
the receipts of this undertaking. The amount
due from this undertaking to the original under-
taking of the company on the 30th of June was
£8,657 19s. sd. As regards the Swansea lines un-
dertaking the completion of the works left in an un-
finished state by the late contractors may now be said
to be nearly effected, the most important of those upon
which further outlay is required being the coal drops
at the Swansea South Docks. Progress has also been
made with the arrangements connected with the
purchases of lands. Y our directors have to report
that they have again been put to considerable ex-
pense in opposing attempts made by means of bills
in Parliament, to deprive this unlertaking of a
portion of its property ; but they have the satisfac-
tion of stating that they have been successful in
resisting such attempts. The amount due from this
undertaking to the original undertaking of the com-
pany on the 30th June was £10,425 Bs. id."
The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report

and accounts, and that a dividend of per cent.
on the ordinary stock be declared. The dividend
was a trifle less than last year, but several things
had been carried to revenue account, and the ques-
tion was whether the shareholders would approve
of the new mode of making the charge, according
to the manner indicated in the report. But for this
arrangement the dividend would have been increased
1 per cent. The working expenses appeared to
have increased, but part of them would come back
again. Considerable outlay had been made in the
hope of bringing increased traffic, but their antici-
pations had not been fully realised in consequence
of commercial depression, but they might look for
an increase of traffic now that direct communica-

tion had been opened with Birmingham, Liverpool,
and the north.

After some discussion relating to the details of
the combined undertaking, the motion was seconded
by Mr. HELENS and agreed to.
The meeting having resolved itself into a special
one, resolutions were passed authorising the direc-
tors to raise all, or any part, of the money bor-
rowed, or authorised to be borrowed, on mortgage
or bond, of the Swansea lines undertaking, or of
the Carmarthen line, by the issue, from time to
time, of debenture stock of the undertaking, bear-

ing interest not exceeding 5 per cent. per annum,
pursuant to the provisions of the Railway Com-
panies Act (1867), relating to loan capital ; and
sanctioning the lease to this company, jointly with
others, of the Vale of Towy Railway.
The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks
to the chairman.

ELECTION IN7ELLIGENCE.

MARTLEB ONE.
Last night a meeting of the electors of Maryle-

bone was held at St. George's-hall, Langham-place,
under the presidency of Mr. Goldwin Smith, to

consider the claims of Dr. H. Sandwith, C.B.
The CHAIRMAN in opening the proceedings said
that those whom he was addressing had met on a

memorable occasion in the history of the borough
of Marylebone. Mr. Gladstone and his supporters,
who preferred honour to place, had contended that
the rights granted by the Reform Bill should be
a reality and not a name. Toryism was exert-
ing itself that these rights might be a name
and not a reality. Toryism hoped that much

might accrue to its interests from the apathy of
the people, from the dependent state of the
working classes, from the present defective sys-

tern of education, and from existing corruption.

Notwithstanding the ignorance and apathy of
the working men of England there was in our
people enough of independence and native in-
telligence to defeat the hopes of the Tories. The

population of England had resolved that class Go-
vernment should be no more, and that on its ruins

should be founded the power of the people. The
electors of the borough were bound first to become
registered, and then to select a candidate for their
constituency. A candidate who was not uninvited
would present himself before them that night.
Some 13 years had passed since the siege of Kars,
and though
,the details of that struggle might be
forgotten by many, it would be remembered in his-

tory as a story
,of high heroism and noble endur-
ance. Among those who held out in that dire ex-

tremity was one who of those who acted with him
was not the least deserving of his country's grati-

tude—he meant Dr. Sandwith. The Order of the

Bath which that gentleman possessed was not in-
herited, but won. Dr. Sandwith was a self-made
man, and having experienced the hardships of life
himself, he felt for the hardships of his fellows.
His laurels certainly were won, not on the political
but on the military field. This, however, he would
say, that if Dr. Sandwith were sent to the coun-

cils of the nation he would not be content with

being a member of Parliament—he would not
enter the House of Commons for purposes of per-
sonal vanity—but would go to that Chamber to do
the work of the people. The candidate before them
would not countenance open bribery or clandestine
corruption, but would by all his acts defend their
dignity and their honour.

Dr. SANDWITII, on rising to address the meeting,

was enthusiastically received. He said that he was
not wholly uninvited by the constituency, the
electors of which he had the honour to address. He
had been the Chief Secretary of a Crown colony,

and had seen at the seat of war the defects which
existed in our military system. He was an advo-
cate of sanitary reform and of religious liberty. As
regarded the latter, the days of toleration were
past ; equality must prevail for the future. The
Established Church in Ireland was a disgrace to
Christendom and a source of peril and dishonour
to the empire. He asserted that a good system of

national education should be maintained, and that

an equitable measure of tenant right should
be enacted for Ireland. He also advocated a re-

vision of the laws of property. The ballot, he con
tended, was necessary for the protection of the
voter. The reorganisation of public departments
was also to be insisted upon, as their operations
should be carried on for much less expense than at
present. He believed that the principles of Reform
should be carried out for the interests of the whole
community. He was not a Liberal-Conservative
or a Constitutionalist ; he was a Radical, and when
he spoke of his own creed he meant the Radicalism
which should be applied to recognised abuses. The
Constitution existed for the people, not the people
for the Constitution. He did not believe that be-
cause one beam in the ship of the Constitution was
taken out the whole nation would be destroyed.
The principal topic now before the people of Eng-
land was the Irish Church. He believed that the
Irish Establishment was injurious to religion and
morality. Having alluded in a humourous manner
to the spiritual peers, of whom he spoke as the suc-
cessors of the simple fishermen of Galilee, he went
on to ask if we were to allow these dignitaries
to stand between two sections of the people
of the empire. He would say to the hierarchy
of the Church, " Leave your quarrels to Con-
vocation." 'The principle of the union of Church
and State was dying, or dead, all the world over.
In Italy, in Austria, the Church was declining ; in
Russia it was corrupt, in Wales it was preparing for
dissolution, and in Ireland it was doomed. In Eng-
land and Scotland, he might add, it was in convul-
sions. There was some force in the argument that
the religion of the majority of our empire should be
recognized ; but were we, he asked, to advocate,
therefore, that dusky Hindoo priests should immo-
late innocent widows in Hyde Park? What, he
asked further, was the religion of the Established
Church ? Was it the doctrine preached by Dr.
Pusey or the Ritualists? Was it the Episcopalian
Methodism of Dr. Bickersteth, the Rationalism of
Professor Jowett, or the heresy of Dr. Colenso ?
The assertion that some robbery was about to be
committed was always urged when some abuse
was about to be uprooted. The Irish ChurCh was
a constant danger to the empire. Let them read
through the dismal page of Irish history, and they
would• find a constant iteration of rebellion.
He contended that the disestablishment of the
Irish Church would follow the movements of the
Fenian organisation. Speaking of the ballot, he
said while we allowed it to our children in the colo-
nies we denied it to our people at home, many of
whom were often compelled to vote against their
consciences. The new Parliament would have to
deal with the subject of pauperism and with the re-
form of the law. It would also have to consider the
modification of the army in order to effect the re-
sult that men might rise by merit to the highest
ranks. While others were endeavouring to pre-
serve feudal rights the people should try to sustain
in its integrity the honour of the empire.
In reply to questions addressed to him from the
body of the hall,
Dr. SAND:WITH said that as regarded the opening
of museums on Sunday he did not wish to sail under
any false colours. While he desired that the Sab-
dath should be a day of rest, he was anxious also
that it should be a day of intelligent and rational
recreation. Ile would not oppose capital punish-
ment. He had no specific plan to recommend as
regarded the destination of the funds of the Irish
Church in case it was disendowed.
Mr. SLACK proposed a resolution approving Dr.
Sandwith, which, having been seconded by Dr.
O'CoNNon, was carried almost unanimously.

BRISTOL.—The candidature of Mr. Henry Ber-
keley and Mr. Samuel Morley for this city has been
distinctly announced in addresses which these gen-
tlemen have issued, and in which they, almost
superfluously, declare their political creed in all its
pure Liberalism.

BURNLEY.-At a meeting held at this town on
Tuesday evening, Sir James Scarlett, the Conser-
vative candidate, made a speech, in the course of
which he spoke on military matters, and stated his
opinion that the rank and file of the army were not
underpaid, nor does he complain of the pay of the
officers, though it has not been increased since the
time of Queen Anne ; while, as to the purchase
system, he thinks that there is great safety in it.
CHELSEA. —The Working Men's Electoral Asso-
ciation of this new borough held a special meeting
on Wednesday night for the purpose of deciding,
what candidate should be supported for the repre-
sentation of the borough. The candidates nomi-
nated were—Sir H. Hoare, Mr. C. IV. Dilke, Mr.
S. Bartlett, of Chelsea (a working man), and Mr.
Geo. Odger (a working man), connected with the
Reform League. Mr. Bartlett withdrew in favour
of Mr. Odger. The result of the ballot was—Mr.
Dilke, 82 votes ; Mr. Odger, 66 ; Sir 11. Hoare,
16. A resolution was carried unanimously " That
the secretary be requested to write to Sir Henry
Hoare, informing him of the result of the meeting,
and in the name of the association to request him
to withdraw from his candidature, so as not to
divide the Liberal interest in the borough." The