The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-18 00:00:00

MEETINGS AT BIRMINGHAM.

The half-yearly meeting of the Birmingham and
Oxford Junction was held in the company's offices in
Birmingham on Saturday ; Mr. F. P. Barlow, chair-
man of the company, in the chair. The proceedings
were purely formal. The only incident worthy of
mention► was the resignation of Mr. Crossthwaite as
auditor, in consequence dills appointment on Thurs-
day as one of the directors of the Great Western
Company. No report was read, nor any speech de-
livered by the chairman.

The half-yealy meeting of the Birmingham, Dudley,
and Wolverhampton then took place ; Mr. F. P.
Barlow, chairman of the company, presiding. No
speech was made by the chairman, nor any report
read to the meeting. One or two formal resolutions
having been passed, the chairman stated, in answer
to a question from a proprietor, that he had no doubt
both railways would be completed in the course of
two years. Circumstances with which all the pro-
prietors were acquainted bad hitherto impeded the
progress of the lines ; but those obstacles were now
removed, and he saw no reason to doubt that they
would now be able to proceed with the lines. A vote
of thanks was given to the chairman. The two
meetings did not altogether occupy five minutes.

MANCHESTER SHEFFIELD, AND LINCOLNSHIRE
RAILWAY.—A deputation of some of the largest share-
holders in this line had an interview with the direc-
tors, at their regular meeting on Thursday last. The
object of the deputation was to carry out the line of
policy marked out in the resolutions of the meeting of
shareholders held at Sheffield on Friday week. The
deputation consisted of Messrs. Jack, Healey, Fos•
bery, and Highfield, of Liverpool; some Manchester
shareholdt rs ; Messrs. G. Hounsfield, T. R. Maker,
C. F. Young., and B. Waterhouse, of Sheffield ; Mr.
G-
Gamble, of ainsborough ; Mr. Brooke, of Lincoln ;
and Mr. Webster, of London. On being admitted to
an interview, the deputation stated that they felt the
strong necessity for an extensive change in the board,
with a view to the improved management of the com-
pany, in order to re -establish its credit and develop its
resources. They were desirous that Lord Yarbo-
rough, and Messrs. Turner, Chapman, Greig and
Ellison should remain at the board ; but that
the other seven members should be replaced.
They suggested to supply five of the vacan-
cies, Messrs. T. R. Barker and C. F. Younge,
of Sheffield; Mr. Gamble, of Gainsborough ; Mr.
Hutton, of Gate Burton ; and Mr. Brooke, of Lin-
coln ; leaving the other two vacancies for further con-
sideration. After consultation, the directors stated
their willingness to place at the disposal of the share-
holders six seats at the board, and on being asked to
say who were the six directors they proposed to retain,
they named the five first mentioned ; and Mr.
Whitaker, Mr. Blake, and Dr. Bartolome (the pre-
sent Sheffield directors) stated that as a meeting of the
shareholders at Sheffield bad declared their desire to
be represented by Messrs. Barker and Younge, along
with Mr. Ellison, they were perfectly ready to retire,
and place their seats at the disposal of the chairman.
The other four were decided upon by ballot. Some
consultation took place among the deputation as to the
acceptance of this arrargement. They had, however,
the satisfaction to receive from Mr. Whitaker the
strong assurance of his concurrence in their opinion,
that it would be most impolitic in the direc-
tors individually, or by any committee of manage-
ment to interfere with the management of Mr. Alport,
and his belief that if Mr. Alpert had been appointed
at an earlier period it would have saved the company
thousands of pounds. The conclusion, therefore, was
to accept the arrangement which the directors were
willing to make. Another subject of consideration
was the propriety of continuing the inquiry into the
affairs of the company from May last (the date when
the last committee closed their labours) up to the pre-
sent time. On this point, which the Sheffield share-
holders had resolved upon, the Liverpool deputation
were undecided. The directors were in favour of
continuing the inquiry; and it was finally agreed to
propose that it should be again taken up by Mr.
Jack, Mr. Healey, and Mr. Hounsfield, and two other
gentlemen, suggested by them.
WHITEHAVEN JUNCTION RAILWAY,—At the half-
yearly meeting of this company at Whitehaven on
Friday, the Earl of Londsdale in the chair, a dividend
of 2s. per share was declared.
RAILWAY BILLS ON STANDING ORDERS.—The Se-
lect Committee of the House of Commons, to whom
all cases of non-compliance with the standing orders
are referred, report that they may be dispensed with
in the case of the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway,
and that the promoters may proceed with their Bill.
The Committee had also under their consideration
the case of the North Kent Continuation Railway,
upon which there is a report from the examiner, con-
taining some hundred points of non-compliance,
chiefly relative to misdescription in the plans and
books of reference. Owing to the voluminous nature
of the report, the Committee adjourned their decision
to the next sitting.
TRING, READING, AND BASINGSTOKE RAILWAY.---
On Saturday the further consideration of this com-
pany's affairs came on before the Master in Chancery
Richards, with reference to a third list of contribu-
tories brought in by the official manager Mr.
Wryghte, consisting of the managing directors of the
company, to each of whom an allotment of 200 shares
was made, and 150 more in their capacity of promoters
of the measure. Only one of the directors took
up these shares, and the object of the proceeding is to
compel the others to take up theirs and pay the deposit
of Si. 55. thereon, which, subject to a deduction of
10s. per share, will be divided among.the shareholders,
who will then, should this and a further sum of
6,3001., ordered by the master to be paid, be re-
covered, be in the receipt of 2/. 10s. per share, as a
return out of the Si. ss. per share which they
origi-
nally paid as a deposit.
COMPRESSED-AIR-ENGINE RAILWAY COMPANY.
The winding-up of this company's affairs is now
nearly brought to a close by the settlement last week
of the list of contributories by the Master in Chan-
cery, Sir W. Horne. The subscriptions in promotion
of the measure amounted to 8,5541. The expendi-
ture was 5,205/., and the balance in hand up to the
commencement of the proceedings for winding-up,
3,3491., out of which sum the proprietors are to re-
claim. The other outstanding liabilities will, it is
expected, absorb the rest of the balance in hand.
Measures are to be taken against those who did not
pay the deposit, the proceeds of which will be divided
among those who did. This will be one of the few
cases in which no call or contribution is likely.to be
mule upon the phareholciers.

DUBLIN AND DROGHEDA RAILWAY.—DUBLIN,
FEW 16.—Yesterday the Navan branch of the Dub-
lin and Drogheda railway was opened for public
traffic. There aro seventeen and a half miles of the
line now complete, and it is intended to extend to
Kells, ten miles further, which can be completed, it is
calculated, for about four thousand pounds per mile.
The principal feature of interest connected with the
line is the magnificent bridge, spanning the river
Boyne, near its confluence with the Blackwater. It
is of seven arches, each fifty feet span, built of rough
hewn limestone in the most permament manner, and
presents a noble future in the landscape of the place.
The distance from Drogheda to Navan is easily ac-
complished in half an hour, so that from Dublin to
Navan will not occupy more than two hours, includ-
ing stops, the distance being nearly fifty miles.

RAILWAY SHAKE MARKETS
BRISTOL, FEB 16.

STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market still continues inani-
mate, and little business has been transacted. The tone,
however, is rather firmer.
141 VERFOOL, Fin. 16.
STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The transactions to-day were as
follow : Lancashire and Yorkshire, Fifths, c. dis.—
London and North-Western, 110 c.—Ditto, New Quarters, 44
p.—Ditto, Fifths, p.—Ditto, Quarters (C), 78 p.—Mid-
land, Halves, 24 tis dis.—South-Eastern and Dover (N 0.4),
61/B.—Dublin and Drogheda, 27. _ _

MANCHESTER, FEB. 16.
STOCK EXCHANGE.--There has been no important change
since yesterday. The market has been tolerably steady,
chiefly owing to the operations of speculators. The trans-
actions were as follow : East Lancashire, 104, Lanca-
shire and Yorkshire, Fifths, Thi dis.—Manchester and Bir-
mingham, Quarters (C), 13-16 p.— Manchester, Sheffield, and
Lincolnshire, 2 n.—Ditto Preference, 714 n. —Ditto (Shef-
Acid and Lincolnshire). 3'34—South Staffordshire, 4 dis.
BIRMINGHAM, Fan.,j6.
STocx EXCEIANOM.—The share marl was extremely
quiet to-day. The only transactions were—London and
North-Western, New Quarters, 16s. 3d. p. cash—Shrewsbury
and Birmingham ( B), 61. Is. .3d. dis.