The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-15 00:00:00

ABERDEEN UNION WITH THE GREAT NORTH OF

SCOTLAND.

AIERDEEN, THURSDAY.—The first ordinary general meeting of
the Aberdeen Railway Company, as appointed by statute, was held
this forenoon for the purpose of transacting the business appointed
by the Companies Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) and the Aber-
deen Company's Acts ef last session.
The Lord Provost, the Chairman of the Directors, occupied the
chair.
The Directors' report, after detailing the steps taken in the
formation of the Company, to fix upon the most suitable route for
the line, and to procure an Act of Parliament, stated that
large contracts had been entered upon for the iron for the rails,
and wood for " sleepers," upon very favourable terms. Tenders
for the formation of the viaducts had not yet been opened, but
applications for specifications had been received already from most
respectable persons; after the removal of the crops from the
grounds the Company would be enabled to have the cost
of :the land estimated through which the line was to pass.
The report next alluded to the union between the Aberdeen
and Great Northern Railways. It was stated that in the allot-
ment of the shares of the Great Northern, for which an Act is to
be applied for in the ensuing session of Parliament, it was agreed
that, should it appear desirabe to the Directors of both Companies,
a union should take place betwixt them. This union the Direc-
tors considered very desirable. The returns taken along the
whole course ef the proposed line from Aberdeen to Inverness gave
ten per cent. on the estimated capital; and from the mutual ad-
vantages that it was evident would arise from the union, the
Directors unanimously recommended to the proprietors of both
lines that a union should take place betwixt them. It was next
stated that another line along the Dee was projected, under the
patronage of the Aberdeen Railway Company, and that it was pur-
posed that the above mentioned Company should have it in their
power to let or sell the traffic upon the line, as might be seen
most advantageous. There were, likewise, other branch lines—
through the vale of Alford, through Turriff and Banff, and through
the Buchan district—projected, in the event of the union.
These, it was anticipated, would greatly increase the pro-
perty of the main lines. With respect to the Aberdeen
line it was said, that this line must prove most successful,
as it must necesssarily be the great means of communica-
tion between the north and south, and was so placed that no
competing line could be formed to diminish its prosperity. The
report then entered into a statement of the various items of ex.
pei,se that had been incurred from the formation of the Company
up to the present date ; and it was stated that although those items
were apparently heavy, yet they were by no means so when viewed
in comparison with the difficulties that the Directors had had to
surmount, and the expenses incurred in like manner by other corn-
panics, and were within the amount of the original estimate.
The CHAIRMAN then, after remarking on several points alluded
to in the report, stated that it was with much satisfaction that he
informed the meeting that the registration of shares was nearly
completed ; 14,000 out of 16,000, the number of the shares of the
Company, being registered. These shares were generally held in
small numbers by a large and ♦ery respectable proprietory.—
(Hear, hear.) His Lordship then, urged on the attention of the
meeting the advantages tbsif would arise from the union of the two
Companies, and stated that .11;e Directors were unanimously of
opinion that the union should take place with as little delay as
possible. He would propose a motion to that effect, but in the
mean time he would wait tin every member of the meeting who
chose should have an opportunity of making any comments on the
report.
The meeting having ooneurred in the proposals made in the re-
port, it was unanimously adopted.
The CHAIRMAN said, he regretted that the Earl of Erroll was
not pretent at the meeting, as his Lordship would have otherwise
proposed the motion which he had the honour of being about to
submit to them. He had received the following letter from his
Lordship:—

" Stains Castle, Sept. 9, 1845.
"My Lord Provost,-1 regret much that it will not be possible
-for me to attend the meeting of the Aberdeen Railway Company
-on the l lth inst.

" Had. I been present on that occasion I would have given my
-most cordial support to the proposed junction of the Aberdeen
-with the Great North of Scotland Railway, under a conviction that
such a measure cannot fail to prove alike beneficial to the proprie-
tory of both lines, and the public interests.
" I -observe with • much satisfaction the proposed extension
-through the volley of the Dee, and I trust that in the next session
of Parliament an Act will be obtained for the undertaking, and-
for the extension into the Buchan districts, the arrangements for
which, I rejoice to learn, are in 4 state of active progress.—Believe
me, my dear Provost, yours very sincerely, " IRROLL."
The CHAIRMAN then moved the following resolution :—" That
this meeting recommend to, and authorise the Directors to adopt,
in conjunction with the Directors of the Great North of Scotland
Railway, the proper measures for effecting an amalgamation of the
two lines, under the title of the latter, at the earliest period which
may be found advisable and practicable, and also to aftbrd every
encouragement to the projected lines in connexion with those rail-
ways referred to in the report...
Mr. WYLLIR, banker, seconded the resolution.
After a vote of thanks to the Chairman the meeting adjourned.