The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-11 00:00:00

THE .FRENCH RAILWAYS:
(From the Railway ReCord.) _

,
We mentioned, in 'our last, that the Report of the.
Committee on the Orleans, Tours, and Bordeaux Rail-
way Bill, drawn up by M. Dufaure, a distinguished mem-
ber of the Chamber, had been presented to the Chamber
of Deputies, with no material alteration in the draft pro-
posed by the Minister of Public Works, except reducing
the term-of the lease proposed by the Minister, from 46
years 324 days to 41 years 16 days, in accordance with
the offers of a company, at the head of which are gen-
tlemen of Wellk-nown. judgrhent and experience in , all
that relates to railvinys,"foreign and domestic..
We have since received an early official .copy of the
report, which fully corroborates the authenticity of our
information. It is an able -and elaborate document, and
in every,way worthy of the high reputation of the dis-
tinguished reporter of the Commission. The difference
in the term is just the difference between a sinking fund
of one per cent., improved at three per cent., or at four
per cent. compound interest; and proves not only how
carefully the calculations of the SOumissionnaires were
made, but the estimation in which they are held by the
Committee who adopted their proposal.
Besides what relates to this particular railway, the
report contains matter of much importance to all who
are interested in the new French lines.

In the first place, it most completely demonstrates, by
a system of close reasoning, based upon statistical finan-
cial details, the impolicy, if not the impracticability, of
the complete execution of the railways by the State, and
the system of short leases, to what may be called mere
carrying companies afterwards, consequent thereupon.
It states, in express terms, that only one member of the
Committee was found to advocate this system, and that
the Minister of Finance (for purely . financial reasons)
put his absolute veto against it.
If this is not sufficiently conclusive against all hope of
the short lease system being adopted, either 'on this line
or any other, it is to be found in the provision made in
this Bill for the just possible case of no company pre-
senting themselves to take the whole line from Orleans
to Bordeaux, on the terms proposed by the Minister,
modified and recommended by the Commission, and ul-
timately fixed by the Chamber. •
In that case it is provided, that the Minister may at
the further cost of the State complete the section of the
railway between Orleans and Tours, stock and work. the
line; but only until a company should present them-
selves to take the whole line to Bordeaux upon the terms
definitively settled by the Chambers. That done, the
State to surrender the line and all its apputtenances to
the company, upon payment by the latter of the value
of the upper works, and the carrying stock, to be deter-
mined by arbitration.
The necessity for the insertion of this provision
will be at once intelligible, when it is considered
that, this year, the Minister presents a Bill, with-
out presenting any company in connection with it. He
presents, in fact, " a draft lease " for the Chambers to

peruse and settle," but without the name of the tenant.
The Commission has, therefore, no official cognizance of
the existence of any company. They learn from the
documents laid before them by the Minister of Public
Works, that certain parties, calling themselves a com-
pany, and alleging that they are prepared to give all the
guarantees, personal and pecuniary, which the Minister
can require, have made proposals to him for a lease; but
the Commission has no power to inquire into the le-
gality of their constitution, or their financial position,
and therefore must consider them as non-existent.
It is understood that the discussion of the Bordeaux
line will come on immediately after the discussion now
before the Chambers on the extraordinary credits,
which proceed but slowly. That relating to the vote
for Algeria alone is expected to last three days, as the
Commission have reported against the views of Govern-
ment. It will be probably before our next publication.
The Bill will pass the Deputies most probably in the
shape in which it now comes from the Commission, and
will pass the Chamber of Peers, almost of course, as it
comes to them from the Lower House. Before the mid-
dle of July it will become a law of the land.
We congratulate this Company upon the success that
is about to crown their efforts, and upon the business-
like shape which all their proceedings have assumed,
from their first appearance before the public. Their
form of application for shares is the only deed required
to be signed. Their banker's receipts are at one receipts
for the deposit, and scrip, which pass from hand to hand,
without the necessity for a transfer, or engagement of
any sort, between the buyer and seller; and it is under-
stood that, after the law is obtained, the holders of the
receipts will be taken to be the owners, and registered
accordingly in the first complete register of the share-
holders. This gives great facilities for transactions in
this stock, and makes it a great favourite in the market.

TOURS AND NANTES RAILWAY.—The whole of the
capital for this line, apportioned to England, was readily
taken up by the privileged shareholders in the Orleans,
Tours, and Bordeaux Railway, without any appeal to
the public at large. Both lines are equally favourites
with the public, and will, most probably, be amal-
gamated before they are opened throughout.
We have not much to add to what was stated last
week about the progress of the Bills now before the
French Chambers. The Paris and Dijon Bill is re-
ported, with a recommendation that the Minister should
amend his project by the additon of a branch to Troyes,
and the further extension to Lyons, and a proportionate
increase of the grant of funds. As relates to the Lyons
and Avignon line, the Minister of Public Works stated,
in reply to the Hon. M. Berryer, that the reason why
he did not present a Bill for this line was the impossi-
bility of entertaining the proposal of the Company,
as being incompatible with the law of June, 1842.
They asked only to have the land given them by the
State, and they would do all the rest at their own cost
and charge, upon a lease of seventy years. We should
say there never was the slightest chance of such a pro-
posal being entertained, while the corps of Ponts et
Chaussees have so much influence as at present. They
will never tolerate the construction of the works of any
of the French railways by any other than themselves.
They will keep this, since they cannot have the work-
ing also in their own hands.
We should say that the deposits on this line ought to
be returned immediately to the subscribers. There is not
the most remote chance of a presentation either this year
or the next, in the present shape, and new conditions will
necessarily imply a new subscription.

TABLE of CONTENTS of “BELL'S
LIFE in LONDON," and its SUPPLEMENT,
PRESENTED GRATIS, JUNE 9, 1844.

MISCELLANEOUS.—ArrivaI of the Emperor of Russia,
and reception at the British Court—Arrival of the King
of Saxony—Grand Review in Windsor Park, in the
presence of the British Court and its Illustrious Visitors
—Mr. O'Connell and his Co-Traversers in Prison—The
Dukedom of Sussex—Embarrassment of the Duke of
Saxe Coburg officially contradicted—News from India
and China—Editorial Remarks on the visit of the Em-
peror of Russia—French Jealousy—Parliamentary
Synopsis—The Sugar Duties—Review of Literature—
Horrible Murders—Destructive Fire at Gravesend—The
Drama—Police, and a variety of interesting Foreign and
Domestic Intelligence—Life in Canada, &c.
THE TURF.—Ascot Heath Races—Presence of her
Majesty and her Illustrious Visitors—Engravings of her
Majesty's Vase and Hunt Cup—Alice Hawthorn and
her Declaration not to start for the Cup—Another gross
Attempt at Fraud—Fraudulent Orders to a Jockey, and
Exposure of the Guilty Party—The Bloodstone Ques-
tion decided—Every Race graphically described—Bygone
Tricks on the Turf—An odd Substitution of Goneaway
for Maccabeus—The Running Rein and Orlando—
Questions—Proceedings in the Court of Exchequer, and.
Form of Trial fixed—Notes on the Curragh Meeting,
Ireland—Entries for the St. Leger of 1844 and 1845, and
Entries for the Derby and Oaks, 1845—Munster Races,
Westphalia—Dusseldorf Races—The late Chantilly
Races, and Correspondence thereon—Racing at Gib-
raltar—Great Handicaps—Suggestions for Registering
Foals, and Identifying Race Horses, by Mr. Goodwin—
Latest Betting on Coming Events—Goodwood Cup
Weights—Manchester and other Races of the Week—
Table of Races to cope—Sale of Hunters by Mr.
Tattersall—Turf Anecdotes and Announcements—
Trotting, &c., &c.
THE CRICKETEns' REGISTER.—The Marylebone
Club Meeting—Alterations in the Laws of Cricket—
Matches for the Season 1844—Match between the
Marylebone (with Hillier and Lillywhite) and the Clap-
ton Club, with the full Scores of Matches between twenty.
other distinguished Clubs in various parts of the King-
dom, and results of Matches elsewhere.
AQUATIC REGlSTER.—Forthcoming :Meetings of the
Royal Yacht Club—Thames Grand Regatta, full parti-
culars—Henly-on-Thames Grand Regatta —The Wharn-
cliffe Sailing Club—lnteresting Matches on the Thames
and other parts of the Kingdom—Brilliant Prospects of
the Aquatic Season—Eton Annual and Fulham Sub-
scription Regatta—A Visit to the Boat-builders, &c.
CHESS.—Four games played in America and England
by celebrated players.
ANGLING.—Episode the Eighth, by " Ephemera."—
Fly Fishing in June.
PEDESTRIANISM.—AII the Important Matches con-
eluded and proposed in the Provinces—Matches fixed,
and Pedestrian Sports.
PIGEON SHOOTING.—At the Red House Battersea, and
elsewhere.

THE Rwo.—Full Reports of the Fights between Mur-
ray and Hayes, and Gill (of Coventry) and Bethell, and
sundry Minor Combats—Matches in Progress—Forfeit of
Norley to Young Reid—Register of Fights to come, &c.
Wrestling—Canine Fancy—Rabbit Show—Single
Stick—Bell Ringing—Bird Fanciers—and a variety of
Popular Sports.
One hundred and twenty Advertisements, upwards of
three hundred Questions answered, and fifteen hundred
and ninety Letters received, read, and attended to.
Such a variety of intelligence never before appeared in
a Weekly Journal, and fully justifies our motto—
" Nunquam Dormio."
*,,,* Belts Life, with the Supplement, will be kept on
Sale throughout the week.—Price Sixpence together.
Belts Life of Sunday, June 2, containing the En-
graving of the Ascot Gold Cup, has been reprinted, and
can be had at the Office, 170, Strand.

CORRUPTION.—We are informed that the ex-
pense of the Liberal party, in the South Lancashire
election, will rather exceed 10,0001 How much has been
spent in carrying the monopolist candidate we cannot
tell ; but the above fact is sufficient proof, if further proof
were required, of the disgraceful state of the representa-
tion, when an election cannot be accomplished without
the expenditure of such an enormous amount of " filthy
lacre."—Leeds Times.
VISIT OF THE KING OF SAXONY AND SUITB TO
THE ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—His Ma-
jesty and suite visited these gardens yesterday. His
Majesty was escorted through the grounds by the pro-
prietor, Mr. Tyler, to whom he was pleased to express
himself in terms of the highest satisfaction. The gigan-
tic picture of "London in the Olden Time," was justly
admired by his Majesty, who remarked, "It was the
most wonderful production he had yet seen."