The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-08 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

The Queen was going on perfectly well towards
convalescence yesterday.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited
her Majesty yesterday at Buckingham Palace.
His Serene Highness the Prince of Leiningen
visited his Royal Highness Prince Albert yesterday.
His Royal Highness PrinCe Albert rode out on
horseback yesterday morning, attended by Lieute-
nant-Colonel the Hon. Alexander Gordon.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales,
Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, the Princess
Alice, and the Princess Helena, took their accustomed
Palace.
exercise yesterday in the garden of Buckingham

Sir George Grey, Secretary of State for the Home
Department, has issued invitations for a full •dreps
dinner on Wednesday next, the 15th inst, at the
Clarendon Hotel, in celebration of her Majesty's
birth day.
Earl Grey, Secretary of State for the Colonies, has
issued invitations for a state dinner at his residence in
Carlton-terrace, on "Wednesday next, the 15th init.,
to celebrate the Queen's birthday.
Sir Charles Wood, Chancellor of the Exchequer,
issued invitations yesterday for a full-dress dinner on
Wednesday next, in celebration of her Majesty's
birth-day, at his official residence in Downing-
street.

Lord John Russell was better yesterday.
Mr. John Wood, Chairman of the Board of Inland
Revenue, and Mr. Pressly, had an interview with, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official
residence in Downing -street.

Dispatches were —sent off last evening from the
Colonial-office for the Governors of Malta, Hong-
Kong, and Ceylon, and also for the Lord High Com-
missioner of the lonian Islands.

HEALTH of LONDON during the WEEK.
(From the Return of the Registrar-General.)
In the week ending last Saturday, the deaths re-
gistered in the metropolitan districts numbered only
829 ; a result which, if compared with the returns
of corresponding weeks in ten previous years (1840-9),
is less than in any week, except those of 1841 and
1842. The average number of deaths in correspond-
ing weeks is 883, or raised in the ratio of increase of
population 963 ; on which a decrease is apparent in
the deaths of last week, amounting to 134. From
diseases of the zymotic or epidemic class, the total
deaths last week were 159, the corrected average
being 181 ; and to take particular diseases, small-
pox was fatal to seven persons, or half the
average; scarlatina and hooping-cough respectively
to 17 and 36, also less than the average ; measles to
17, or about the usual amount. But croup des-
troyed 15 children, which is double the ordinary fa-
tality from this complaint. Also the wife of a
butcher, aged 36 years, died in Halsey-terrace,
Chelsea, of" spasmodic croup (18 hours)." Typhus
was fatal in 28 cases—considerably less than usual ;
erysipelas in 9; diarrhoea in 10; the two latter being
near the average amount. Diarrhoea appears to de-
cline, the deaths from it in the last three weekshaving
been 19, 11, 10 ; in the week corresponding to the last
in 1848 and 1849, they were 19 and 20. The morta-
lity from diseases of the respiratory organs differs little
from the amount that generally prevails at this season
of the year; from bronchitis, pneumonia, and
asthma, there were respectively 44, 65, and 9
deaths, the last showing a slight decrease. It is
sufficiently worthy of remark, that consump-
tion has recently carried off weekly much
less than the usual number of its victims ; last
week the deaths from it were only 102, though in the
corresponding weeks of ten previous years they ranged
from 121 to 168, and the corrected average is 157.
A man of 44 years died of purpura htemorrhagica.
A man and two children died of laryngitis ; and three
children of laryngismus stridulus. Three children
were accidentally suffocated in bed. The death of a
child, aged 5 months, who was suffocated by impure
air, occurred at 7, Hayward's-place, in St. James's,
Clerkenwell ; he was found dead in bed. His father
was a jewel-case maker. In Blue Anchor-alley,
Finsbury, a bookbinder, aged 45 years, died of
" drunkenness, vomiting, and atrophy. A pensioner,
of 65 years, died in Greenwich hospital, from " apo-
plexia a potu (13 days), pneumonia (6 days)." Last
week the deaths of 74 inmates of workhouses were
recorded; 63 persons were registered in genegal hos-
pitals, 6 in military and naval, 8 in lunatic asylums,
3 in the Small-Pox Hospital Camden-town ; and 3 in
the Fever Hospital, Islington.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
CALUDONIAN.
A. numerous and influential meeting of the 10i
Preference shareholders of this company took place
yesterday afternoon, at the London Tavern,Bishops-
gate-street, for the purpose of naming a deputation to
the board of directors on the subject of reducing the
preferential claims, and of considering the recommen-
dation to elect delegates representing the 101. Prefe-
rence shareholders, to confer with the directors and
conclude an arrangement.
Captain PLUNKET, R.N., having taken the chair,
said that, considering the state of the affairs of the
company, it was of the utmost importance that some-
thing should be immediately done to get those con-
cerned in it out of their present bad position. The
amount of claims against the company was 570,0001.,
and of this sum 107,0001. were what were called land
claims, and which, by the law of Scotland, were im-
mediately enforceable in the most summary manner,
and which must consequently be met at ()ace.
Sven supposing the greatest possible patience were
exemplified by their creditors, it would require seven
or eight years to place themselves in a satisfactory
position. Another debt of a most serious character
was the Clydesdale redemption money, which, added
to the floating debt, would make it ten or fifteen years
before matters were made straight. Yet this was
taking the most favourable view of their situation—so
favourable, indeed, that he would argue nothing from
it, as in his opinion the only way of keeping the
company on its legs would be by raising fresh capital.
The guarantees, which had been so rashly sanctioned
by Parliament, were of such enormous extent that
they could be no longer paid by the company without
mulcting all prior claimants; and as the idea of pay-
ing the guarantees " for the credit of the company,"
was a manifest exemplification of "robbing Peter to
pay Paul," he did not suppose that such an argument
would be used against the urgent demands of the
directors for reduction. The statement put forth
by the present board of directors said that
the receipts that might be looked forward to
; but the exact average,
weretaken6
from the aweek
commencement of the year, was a
weekly income of 5,831/. ; and their receipts might
be severely influenced by the opening in autumn of
the Nt
a committee such as
whoseo v ing duties
considerof the affairs of the
ents, &c., as it would be at
ihtandea
and
de appointment
s uc hwould competingdbo
ce ut line. He concluded by
n
mo
Company, a
reasonsmeeting; for the proposed to negotiate with the di-
rectors—to
once inconvenient and disagreeable to‘ publish to the
world
at a
reduc-
tions, and to consider whether the arrangements
were for the advantage of the shareholders. The
principal benefit arising frdm the appointment of such
a committee would be, that it would give the first
hearu bl i c
their
impulse to those arrangements which now engage
the attention and energies of the directors, aid the
example of a cheerful acquiescence in a necessary but
disagreeable duty on the part of the shareholders,
would greatly influence their operations, serve as the
best weapon in the hands of the directors for the suc-
cessful prosecution of their objects.--(Cheers.)
In answer to questions,
The CHAIRMAN stated that negotiations had been
entered into with all of the preference lines.
Several gentlemen addressed the meeting on the
subject of the resolution and the general affairs of the
company ;
After which the resolution, with one or two emen-
dations, was put and carried. It stood amended as
follows :—" That a committee be now appointed on
behalf of preference stock (10/. shares) of the Caledo-
nian Railway Compaq, with power to confer with
the directors of the company in- reference to a
modification of the terms under which the preference
shares were issued, and to negotiate an arrangement
for such a modification of those terms as they may
think most advantageous—contingent on satisfactory,
arrangements being concluded with the other guaran-
teed interests; such arrangements to be subject to the
approval of an adjourned meeting of the general body
of preference shareholders.
The committee appointed
T was composed of the fol-
lowing'gentlemen :—Mr. hornton (Wakefield), Mr.
Joseph Hough (Manchester), Mr. A. K. Baker, Mr.
Deputy Corney, and Mr.l3alster.
After a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting
adjourned till that day week, when the committee
would be able to report progress.
The first sitting of the committee was held after the
meeting had separated.

----
SOUTHAMPTON, jrAY I• —• The Peninsular and
Oriental Company's steam-ship Pacha,.Captain Meehan, wii
comopfan to-morrow.y,from Constantino-
The the mails for Spain, rortugal, and Gibraltar, left this day.
She took a full general cargo, 'With specie to the amount of
13,400/., and several passengers. The Euxine, Captain
Epive,anasc,.lr
isloenxgpinecgtetdo
itn thheabovecourse
Ma-
drid, Captain Weeks, with the homeward Peninsular mails,
is expected on the 14th inst. The Herrmann, from New
York, is hourly looked for.
The bark harvest has commenced in this county.
Prices may be stated at from 31. 15s. to 41. ss. per ton, which
is about ss. less than the prices of last yam'.—Salisbury
Journal.