The Sun.
London, England, 1842-08-12 00:00:00

NORTHERN AND EASTERN

RAILWAY.

The half yearly general meeting of the Proprietors
of this line was held yesterday at the London Tavern,
Bishopsgate-street, John Raskell, Esq., in the Chair.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings of the
day, stated that the differences between the Eastern
Counties Railway and themselves as to the traffic of goods
and passengers had been all arranged that morning.
Mr. BOCRNE, the Secretary to the Company, then
read the Report, from which we extract the following
passages :
" The Directors have now to congratulate the Share-
holders of the Northern and Eastern Railway upon the
completion and opening of the line to Bishop's Stortford,
being to the northern extent of the Company's Parlia-
mentary powers ; and also upon the result of such com-
pletion. . _

" The receipts of the Railway for the last six months,
ending 30th June, 1842, although including only seven
weeks of the through-traffic, are nearly double those of
the corresponding six months ending 30th June, 1841.
" The gross receipts of the past six months, ending
30th June last, amount to 28,9851. 13s. 5d., which, with
the balance of 1624 16s. Bd. left undivided last half year,
gives 29,148/. 10s. Id. The expenses, including toll to
the Eastern Counties Company, amount to 15,6261. 4s.
2d., leaving a balance of 13,522/. ss. 11d., and your Di-
rectors venture to recommend that 20s. per share,
amounting to 9,0721., be divided upon the last half year,
leaving 4,4504 ss. lid. applicable to the payment of
rent to the Eastern Counties Railway Company, which,
though not due, has been incurred, and ought to be laid
out by the earnings of the present half year.
" Your Directors, in calling your attention to the ge-
neral account, have only to state, that they, in common
with all Railway Directors, have been, to a certain ex-
tent, disappointed in the original representations of their
officers as to the ultimate cost of the line; but when they
state that, according to the general accounts up to the
30th of June, and by a reference to the present unpaid
liabilities of the Company, it appears that the railway
will not exceed the cost of 30,0001. per mile, including
engines, carriages, and traffic material, they do not feel
that the Shareholders have much cause of dissatisfaction
in the excess of the cost beyond the original estimate.
" With reference to the further extension of the Rail-
way northwards, your Directors are more than ever im-
pressed with the certainty that the most advantageous
results would ensue from its being continued to
Cambridge."

Mr. VIZARD thought the shareholders might receive
a larger dividend than 20s. a share. Last year when
they had a balance of only 6,0001. a dividend of 15s. was
paid, and now they had a balance of 13,0001 in hand,
the dividend was only ss. more, instead of being more
than double that of last year, which it should be if paid
in the same proportion.
The CHAIRMAN explained, that the balance of this
year included the rent which had to be paid to the
Eastern Counties line ; whereas the 6,000/. mentioned
as the balance last year, was the balance after deduct •
ing the rent due to the Eastern Counties Railway.
Mr. BIDDER, the engineer of the line, entered into a
statement with the view of showing that no part of
the excess in the cost of the line over the original esti-
mate mentioned in the report, attached to the engineer's
estimate.

A rather angry discussion on a variety of subjects ensued,
in the course of which a slight dispute sprang up between
Mr. Vizard, the late Solicitor, and Mr. Crawshay, the late
Chairman to the Company, in consequence of Mr. Vi-
zard applying the term " humbug" to some proceedings
of the Directors ; to this Mr. Crawshay replied with
great warmth that there had been no humbug. If there
had been any imposition practised upon the Company, it
had been by the late Solicitor. What was the meaning
of 69,8001. for parliamentary expenses and law charges ?
Several Directors proposed that Mr. Vizard withdraw
the word " humbug."
Mr. BELL moved that the discussion on bye-gone sub-
jects cease.
Mr. LEVY moved that the Report of the Directors be
received and adopted, and Mr. SHUTER seconded this
motion.

Mr. VIZARD then moved, that the following para-
graph which occurs in the Report be expunged:—" With
reference to the further extension of the Railway north-
wards, your Directors are more than ever impressed
with the certainty, that the most advantageous result
would ensue from its being continued to Cambridge,
and with this view, and the impediment which still ex-
ists to the making the Branch to Ware and Hertford,
they have not yet taken any steps in the latter project."
Mr.. BELL seconded this motion ; but afterwards re-
commended its withdrawal, which was assented to by
Mr. Vizard.

Mr. LEvy's motion for the adoption of he Report was
agreed to unanimously.
Mr. HARVEY then moved that a dividend of 20s. a
share be declared to become payable on Thursday, she
25th instant.

Mr. BELL seconded this motion, which was also car-
ried unanimously.
A short discussion ensued upon the mode of disposing
of the forfeited shares, but nothing definitive was agreed
on with regard to them.
Mr. BAGSHAW, a Director, in a complimentary address,
proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Crawshay, the late
Chairman of the Court, for his untiring zeal and un-
wearied exertions in their service.
The motion was carried, and
Mr. CRAWSEIAY acknowledged the compliment ; at
the same time, he submitted to the meeting a proposition
which he had received from a party offering to farm the
line at such a rent as should secure to the Company
5 per cent. upon the outlay.
Mr. LEVY hoped the Directors would not let the line
without competition, for he was prepared to say that he
would give more than 5 per cent. himself. lie thought
it should realise 8 per cent.
The matter then dropped.
A vote of thanks was unanimously passed to the pre-
sent Chairman and Board of Directors, who briefly ac-
knowledged it, and the meeting separated.

Loss OF THE CALEDOW STEAMER ON LOUGH
NEAGH.—On Thursday, about 30 of the most respectable
inhabitants of Portadown and its vicinity embarked on
board the Caledon in order to enjoy the beautiful scenery
of the river and lake. The voyagers had arrived opposite
Shane's Castle, and were desirous to partake of a dejeuner
a la frurehette beneath its ruined and embattled walls.
They accordingly made for the shore, but the boat en-
countering in her progress a ledge of rocks, at first grazed
them with her bottom, then her bow dipping, she struck
with such force that the water gushed in in torrents. The
shock was so violent that Mr. Richley and the master were
thrown from the paddle-box,and received severe contusions.
A scene of terror and confusion now ensued ; but a fishing-
boat, observing the danger of the unhappy sufferers, bore
down to relieve them. All were now eager to escape from
the sinking steamer, and to rush into the boat, but were
withheld from this fatal movement by the exertions of
Mr. Wolsey Atkinson. After the passengers were safely
landed, the steamer was seen to go down.—Newry Tele-
graph.
On Wednesday last, the Chanonry fishers captured
a very large old seal, which weighed within a few pounds
of 2 cwt., and was 5 feet 9 inches long. It got entangled
in one of the bag-nets. • The boat's crew, having only
the small felling -stickF, had great difficulty in killing
the monster, who made a desperate struggle, after being
in the eoble, to attack the men, and make his escape.—
Ross Advertiser.

'1
he following melancholy affair has excited con-
siderable attention at Ostend and Bruges :—M. Dietz,
chief of the railway station at Ostend, received an ano-
nymous letter, charging his wife with criminal inter-
course with a young sailor of the Belgian navy, named
Libben. M. Inetz having no reason, however to sus-
pect his wife's fidelity, took at first no heed of this infor-
mation, but subsequently grounds of suspicion led him
to be on the alert, and he soon was convinced of the cri-
minality of the parties, and intercepted various letters.
M. Dietz, therefore, determined to take every possible
means of surprising his rival en flagrant delis. For this
purpose he often told his wife that business called him to
Bruges, to which place he frequently went, always return-
ing when he believed he should be least expected, but he
never found Libben with his wife. On Saturday last,
however, he went again to Bruges, purchased two pis-
tols with powder and balls, and returned to Ostend
by the last train. It appears on this occasion he told his
wife he was going to Brussels, and should not return till
the following day. When the train arrived at Ostend
he did not get out of the carriage, but remained concealed.
It must be observed that frora this place of concealment
the unhappy husband could see into his wife's apartment,
and that about ten o'clock he was satisfied that more than
one was therein. His exasperation was now at its height.
He went home, and with terrible violence forced open
the door of the chamber, where he found the young
sailor with his guilty companion. Giving way to let
full vengeance, he shot the young man dead upon the
spot, and then locking his wife up in the room with the
corpse, gave orders to send for the police, and went him-
self to bring witnesses. On Sunday, M. Dietz and his
wife delivered themselves up to the authorities at
Bruges, and the affair is now in the hands of the law.—
Bruyes Paper, •
LEEDS AND SELBY RAILWAY COMYANr.—On
Saturday last, the annual general meeting of the Share-
holders in the Leeds and Selby Itailway took place at
Scarborough's Hotel, John Gott, Esq., in the Chair.
From the statement of the accounts submitted to the
meeting, it appeared that the balance on the Company's ,
income was 3,2501., and the reserve fund 13.3161, 17s. 7d.
The Chairman remarked that there was nothing in the
accounts requiring observation, but connected with tht re
there was a new feature which it might be necessary to
allude to—namely, that the Directors had considered to
recommend the Shareholders to pay the Income-tax out
of the reserve fund, still making the dividend five per
cent., or, in other words, to raise the dividend by the
amount of the tax. The succeeding proposition was then
moved and carried unanimously :—" That the dividend
be two-and-a-half per cent. for the past half year." After
the passing of this motion, the Chairman said that ac-
cording to the regulationi of the Act 'of Parliament, four
Directors should retire annually, and that those who
would on this occasion have to vacate office were Messrs.
Audus, Gatlin', Whitehead, and John Gott. A motion
was submitted by Mr. William Williams Brown, and
seconded by Mr. James Brooke, to the effect—" That
the four gentlemen just named be re-elected, and that
they have the thanks of the meeting awarded to thew
for their past services," which was carried unanimously.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, who briefly
acknowledged the compliment, and the meeting separated.
THE HARVEST AND THE VINTAGE.—FRANKFORT,
AuG. 6.—Letters from mercantile houses at Maintz say
that the corn trade in that meeitet boa been very dull
this week. The accounts frou2 Berlin of the failure of
,several great corn-merehente, bad. discouraged pur-
chaiers. 'The prospects of a good and abundant vintage:
ltre- everywhere favourable. S" Miss *and black grapes,
140,41,nd,.61 excellent qualityrhaysalreadybeen-
.4l4'oAT #140.4i PallY Pariieta utll. wiue Peulitto4.