The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-08 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

SOUTH-EASTERN (LONDON AND DOVER►)

RAILWAY COMPANY.

Yesterday a meeting of this Company was held at
thl London-bridge Station, to consider the expedi-
ency of capitalising the mortgage debts of the Com-
pany, by creating new shares, and thus also providing
funds for the formation of the Canterbury, Margot',
and Ramsgate line of railway. Mr. Parry Richards,
the Deputy Chairman of the Directory, took the
chair. The Chairman having briefly advocated the
purposes of the meeting, was followed by Mr.
•DZ`Grigor, who supported his views. After several
gentlemen, directors and proprietors, had addressed
the meeting, resolutions were adopted which autho-
rised the formation of the above line, and the raising
of capital of 1,400,0001., to be created by 4:2,000 :Alan s
of the nominal value of 50/. each, upon plyment of
331. Gs. Bd. A vote of thanks was then rased to the
Chairman, and the meeting separated.

WEST LONDON RAILWAY.
The adjourned half-yearly meeting of the Proi,ri-
etors of the above railway was held yesterday, at the
offices of the Company in Abchurch-lane, King Wil-
liam-stree, City.
Mr. Wirrrcuurtcu, one of the Dire...tors, took the
chair, and in opening the business of the day, said
that negotiations had been entered into with the
London and Birmingham Railway Company, for the
purchase or lease by that Company of the IVest Lon-
don Railway. Those negotiations had not as yet been
successful, and so many difficulties had arisen ‘sitli
respect to the West London Railway, that it was now
considered desirable, for the benefit and interest of
the Company, that the present Directors should re-
sign. A large number of them had sent in their re-
signations already, and he understood it was the
intention of the others to do so likewise. He recom-
mended the Proprietors to nominate a committee for
the pill-pose of forming a new direction, and he also re-
commended the Proprietors to take steps for the exten-
sion of their line to the Thames, as the only means of
making their property profitable.
Lord KENSINGTON warmly protested against any
steps being taken to extend this line, which was
already a most unprofitable concern. He contended
that the Company had broken faith with the con-
tractor, who had, been obliged to file a•bill in Chan-
cery in order to assert his rights. He declared before
that meeting;•and before the public, that if the Com-
pany should attempt to extend their line, he would,
both as a landowner, through whose estates the line
would pass, and as a Shareholder, oppose to the
l'utmost_of his power the proposition when it came
before Parliament.

After a lengthened discussion, during which Lord
Kensington indignantly loft the 'meting, it was re-
solved that Messrs. Lord, Richardson, and Bird, or
any two of them, be appointed a committee for the
purpose of taking the necessary steps for the forma•
tion of a new direction in conjunction with the Man-
chester Shareholders and the resigning Directors.
The Directors were then empowered to take such
steps as might be necessary in compliance with the
standing orders, for an application to Parliament in
the next session for an Act to authorise the extension
of the line to Knightsbridge and the Thames. The
meeting then separated.

WILTS, SOMERSET, AND WEYMOUTH

RAILWAY,

BRIDPORT, TIIURSDAY.LAI public meeting was
yesterday held at the Town-hall, Bridport, to receive
the report of a Provisional Committee which had be( n
recently formed, relative to a proposed railway from
Bridport Harbour to Maiden Newton, in connexion
with a line from Southampton to Dorchester, via
Wareham and Poole, and with the Bristol and Exeter
Railway by a branch front Sherborne to Yeovil,
South Petherton, Langport, and Darweston, near
Bridgewater. In Wiltshire, the projected line is to
extend from Corsham, near Chippenham, to Meil
ham, Bradford, and Trowbridge;. and in Somerset, to
Frome, Bruton, Castle Cary, and Yeovil. The chair
was taken by the Mayor, W. Battiscombe, Esq., and
on the platform were Messrs. S. B. and W. E.
Gundrv, T. tlounsell, J. and B. Gundry, J. H. and
0. K. 'Templer, E. and A. Nicholetts, W. Colfox, W.
Swain, sen. and jun., J. Pope, Lieut. J. Pittield,
R.N., Rev. 11. Fox, with many other respectable
inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood.
The report gAve great satisfaction to the meeting,
and

Mr.TEMPLER, sen., pointed out the various advan-
tages, both national and commercial, which the pro-
posed line would afford ; as, in case of war with our
neighbours on the other side of the Channel, a railway
along this part of the coast (which at present was so
ill prepared to resist an enemy) would be most essen-
tial, and went so far as to say, that the Government
would oppose any other plan than the one now pro-
posed—and the commercial advantages would be very
extensive, as from Southampton they would be in
direct communication with Brighton and Dover.

'several routine resolutions were unanimously car-
ried, a committee named, and the meeting was
informed that the whole of the shares would be pro-
vided for by the Great Western Railway Company,
but who would set apart a limited number to be dis-
plsed of along the proposed line—they would be of
50/. each, for which that Company would guarantee
4 rcr cent. interest, and a divisional share of one-half
the profits when the shares yielded 8 per cent. to the
ho)ders.

SUICIDE AT KILMARNOCK.
(From the Birnr'nglanin Advertiser.) '
In our last page, under the 'mad of " Scotland," 'we
hake give', full particulars of the determined suicide a
two pi rsons unknown at the place where they committed
the fatal act of selt'-destruction. There being good rea- -.
eon to suppose that the parties were from this neighbour-
lion:l, we made every possible inquiry on the subject, and
discovered on Monday last that they were in all probs-
billty old inhabitants of Birmingham. Under these cir-
eutnoances we felt it our duty to prosecute the inquiries
further, and are now enabled to lay the following par-
tiehlars before our readers :
The deceased, Mr. Joseph Barker, was 61 years of
age, his wife was somewhat younger. They resided,
privious to leaving Birmingham, at No. 54, Vittoria-
st&et. Mr. Barker was born at Preston, in Lancashire,
frqm which town he married for his second wife the
pal-tiler of his romantic, but melancholy exit. Ile had
resided in Manchester, London, Malta, and several parts
of The continent, being at one time most extensively •
engaged in business as a foreign merchant. At the
butning of Moscow he estimated his loss at 500,000/. ;
fr•im that time his fortunes were reversed. Ills first
wile died on board a ship. Ills only child, a son, on .
whose memory ho appeared to dote, also died when 21
yehrs of age. Six years ago he entered the service of
M. Samuel Kempson, floor-cloth manufacturer, Consti-
tution• hill, where he remained as chief ( Jerk and traveller
until May last, when lie entered into partnership with Mr.
James Archer, who had also been wi‘h Mr. Kempson,
and the firm was opened in Summer-lane, as James
Archer and Co., table-cloth main facturers. In the •
arrangements there was nothing to disturb the equa-
nimity of his proverbially even timper. He appeared cn
excel'ent terms with all aroLnd him ; tail when, two
months ago, he left home, as he alleged to his partner,
on a visit to Manchester, there was nothing to indicate
the fearful resolve to which sibs' quent circumstances '
lead us to suppose he Ind made up his mind.
On leaving their house they told the servant girl they
were going to see a relation at a distance, and should be
back in eight or nine days. When he parted from Mr.
Archer, he shook hands heartily, saying, " God bless
you, Archer;" and it was observed by Mr. Archer that
he turned away and seemed affected. It was afterwards
found that he had, previous to his departure, called and
discharged every tradesman's bill against the firm. It
was supposed that he had about 401. on him when he
left Birmingham. In a pecuniary point of - view there
~
was not, as we can ascertain, any embarrassment, and
we have met with no satisfactory solution to the mystery ‘,
of their self-destruction.
Mr. Barker was of most gentlemanly habits and man-
ners, speaking fluently the Italian, French, and German :
languages; and of kindly disposition, creating regard and
love in those with whom he was associated in business
and in private life. Mrs. Barker was a woman of much •
amiability and suavity of manner, highly accomplished, ,
and a proficient in music.
The gold watch found on Mr. Barker was an old-
fashioned
family relic, and the knife was a present from
a young and esteemed friend, in Mr. limp,on's employ-
The description of the knife led to the identity of the
unhappy deceased. On seeing the account in the London
papers, Mr. Archer sent his foreman over to Kilmarnock,
to identity the parties. The bay of Mr. Barker ws4 ".
alone disinterred, and AN-Ls immediately recognised by .
the foreman. ~

11 '
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.—....unng the last
few days the large clump of houses on
Brownlow-street, Long-acre, and leading
St. Giles's Workhouse,
place to the new church, near
. G the
fro
m east
th
the
side
latter
t eorf
the Hampstead-road.
street from Waterloo-bridge to
(Christ Church) •
The exterior of the new church is
has been rased to the ground in order to form the new
and workmen are now busily en.
interior.
The church is
the
.built
and will give accommodation to
lenagttiherdeelyommcocEmonmpglpeultseehtdi;isgtyle,
church will be -
free. It is expected that the
upwards of 1,000 persons, the majority of the sittings
being
for Divine worship being performed within it at the- -
commencement of the ensuing year. On the opposite
side of Broad-street, the ground formerly used as a stone
yard for the parish, is built over, whilst by the ensuing
spring a great portion of Oxford-street east will be built,
the foundations for the houses haling been dug. The
new street from Long-acre to Coventry-street is now
open for vehicles. From Castle-street to Leicester-
square, on what was formerly Cranbourne-alley, a neat
row of shops has been rail ed, which in the course of a
few weeks will be tenanted. At the back of St.
George's Barracks, Charing-cross, a large engine house
is in the course of erection for the purpose of keeping
up a continual supply of water for the fountains in
Trafalgar-square.
CRIME AND ITS DECREASE —We were glad to see
that, last week, there was not a single committal to the
county gaol. Such a ciamnistance is cheering, and leads
to the hope that the proposed enlargement of the prison
will be found unnecessary. The rogues probably sympa-
thise with the rate-payers.—Hampshire Independent.