The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-28 00:00:00

RAIL WAY INTELLIGENCE,

EXETER, YEOVIL, AND DORCHESTER.

EXETER, THURSDAY EVENING.—A special general meeting
of the proprietors of the Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester Rail-
, way took place this afternoon at the Royal Subscription
Rooms in the city of Exeter, for the purpose of taking into
consideration the propriety of consenting to an amalgamation
of this Company with the London, Salisbury, and Yeovil,
and the Cornwall and Devon Central Companies, so soon as
the said Companies shall have obtained their Acts of Parlia-
ment, or of leasing the said railway to the London and South
Western Company.
E. Woolmer, Esq., chairman of the Provisional Committee,
presided. The meeting was very fully attended, and amongst
the gentlemen present were Sir Henry Bailey, Sir Warren
Tonkin,W. Tombs, Esq., J. B. Osborne, S. Davis, Esq.,
C. Gordon, Esq , E. Kingdon, Esq., Col. Ellis, D. B. Davey,
Esq., John Silifant, Esq., &c.
The CHAIRMAN said he was most happy to congratulate
the proprietors on the cheering prospects before them. Their
capital was not only secured, and in the banker's hands, but
the deeds were signed, the whole of the surveys completed,
the maps, plans, and sections would be ready that night,
and everything else would be perfected by Satarday night
next, to comply with the standing orders of Parliament.
About five months since he was one of a deputation to meet
the London, Salisbury, and Yeovil Committee, and that in-
terview fully convinced him that an identity of interest, not
only with that Company, but with the Central Devon and
Cornwall Company, was absolutely necessary. By this
means their lice would be brought into connexion with some
of the moat important railways in the south and west of Eng-
land. They would have the advantage of a central metro-
politan terminus at Hungerford-bridge, and a direct line of
railway from that point through Devon and Cornwall on to
Penzance. Communication by railway he hoped, and lie had
every reason to believe, would speedily follow between Ply-
mouth and Devonport, the largest arsenal in the world. It
now became his duty to state to them the nature of the
agreement which had been come to. On the 11th of Novem-
ber the Committee of the Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester
Company went to London, and put themselves in communi-
cation with a Committee of the South-Western and the
Salisbury and Yeovil, and Central Devon and Cornwall
Companies. Many propositions were made, and their
consideration occupied a period of nearly three or
four days. The result of those proceedings was,
that the Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester line should
be leased in perpetuity, after obtaining the Act of
Parliament, at 51- per cent., to the South Western and other
associated companies, the South Western to find to the ex-
tent of one-fourth of the capital. It was therefore clear that
after procuring the Act, of which there could not be the
slightest doubt, the Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester Railway
would be a most valuable property. Their interests would
be placed upon the most secure foundation, being secured to
them by the receipt of dividends from companies with which
they would be annexed, having no less a capital than nine
millions. He had to propose—"First—That the preliminary
arrangements made by the committee of management for
leasing the Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester Railway, in per-
petuity at five and a half per cent., to the London and South
Western, and the Cornwall and Devon Central Railway Com-
panies, or any of them, be approved and confirmed. Se-
cond—That the arrangement for the South Western Com-
pany to become subscribers to the Exeter, Yeovil, and
Dorchester Company to the extent of one-fourth of their
capital regarded by the latter company, be approved and
confirmed. Third—That the committee of management be
empowered to adopt such steps to carry these resolutions into
effect, and to make such other necessary arrangements as
they may deem expedient.".
G. GORDON, Esq., seconded these resolutions.
Mr. CHAPMAN said, although not directly connected with
the South Western Company, still as one of the Provisional
Committee of the London, Salisbury, and Yeovil line—a line
intimately connected with it—he would venture to say, if by
this amalgamation there were any other towns requiring the
benefit of railway communication, a suggestion to that effect
would be promptly attended to. There could be no doubt
but when these amalgamated railways were completed, that
they would form the most legitimate line.
Mr. G. D. OSBORNE wished to know whether the same
terms, namely. 5i per cent.—were to be given to the other
amalgamating companies, as was proposed to be awarded to
the Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester Company ? If therewas
to be a complete amalgamation and a perfect identity of in-
terest. between the three companies joining the SOuthWeStetn, •
it was most important that they should all be placed upon an
equal footing.
The CMAIRMAN said, with respect to the arrangements
which had been entered into by the South Western with the
other companies, they had not interfered; but with respect
to identity of interest there would be a complete unity be-
tween all thecompanies throughout the entire route from the
metropolis to the Land's-end.
J. RurrEn, Esq., of Shaftesbury, appeared as the repre-
sentative of those parties who resided in South Wilts and
North Dorsetshire. He considered that the proceedings of

that day would be viewed with more interest, and be of iiiore
benefit to the country at large, than those of any other pro-
ject that had been put forth. The inhabitants of the dis-
tricts he represented would never rest satisfied until they
obtained proper railway facilities. Mr. Rutter entered into
a lengthened and elaborate statement, with a view to prove
that the traffic from Wiltshire and Dorsetshire would be re-
munerative to the amalgamated companies.
The resolutions were carried.

Mr. KINGDON moved the following resolution :—" That
this meeting strongly recommends to the South Western
Railway and its associated Companies, to render their
strenuous and immediate assistance to the Direct Exeter,
Plymouth, and Devon Railway Company."
Mr. OSBOUNE seconded this resolution, on the ground that
although the Great Western had projected a line from Exeter
to Plymouth, yet it was such a one that could never he car-
ried out as a permanent line.
The resolution was then put and carried.
It was stated in the course of the proceedings that the fol-
lowing gentlemen had been added to the provisional commit-
tee :—The Right Hon. Viscount Duncannon, M.P., the
Hon. Colonel George Anson, M.P., James Walkinshaw, Esq.,
and Henry Toots!, Esq.

BIRMINGHAM, WEST BRollwicn, AND WALSALL.

A meeting was held at Walsall on Wednesday, for the
purpose of supporting the above Company. The Mayor
presided. A deputation from the provisional committee
attended. _ _

The MAYOR, in opening the business, said their interests,
as tradesmen of Walsall, were deeply involved in the sue •
cess of this railway, which was the best proposed for the

town.
Mr. CorrnEu., the town clerk, said this line was the only
scheme yet projected by which they would have really useful
communication with Birmingham. At the present time they
had to go a distance of two miles before they could get on any
line of railway. By this scheme it was proposed that they
should have a station near the centre of the town, thence the

line would proceed in a direct line to Bescott, over the Grand
Junction station, and so on to Wednesbury, where there
would be a station ; thence to Hill Top, where there also
would be a station ; thence to West Bromwich, where there
would be a station at the junction; and thence crossing the
road and diverging to the right of, but still close to West
Bromwich, it would cross Spon-lane, where there would be
another station; thence the line would proceed to Hands-
worth and Nineveh, with stations at both places; and from
the latter it would run into Bioad.street, Birmingham, with
a station near Great Charles-street. _ _ _

Mr. R. KETTLE, barrister, detailed the advantages which
would be likely to accrue to the town of Walsall, if the
scheme before the meeting were carried. There had net
yet been any other scheme proposed which could do for
Walsall what was held out by this line; so far from its being
an opposition project, it would, in fact, be an important
adjunct or feeder to whichever of the other great lines pro-
jected happened to succeed. At the present time there were
besides this three great lines in which this town was mate-
rially interested: the Grand Junction, already made; the
South Staffordshire Junction, and Trent Valley Extension,
were both running from near Lichfield to Dudley, through
Walsall. Those lines would be exceedingly useful as exten-
sive through lines, but so far as local purposes and local in-
terests were concerned, the Birmingham, West Bromwich,
and Walsall,was the best. The Learned Gentleman reviewed
at some length the different schemes projected, pointing out
the advantages of this line over all the others.
Mr. T. JAMES, town councillor of Gasterbery, proposed a
resolution in favour of the line.

Mr. B. SMITH seconded the resolution, which was carried.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
LIVERPOOL, Nov. 27.
STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The sales are—Boston, Newark, and
Sheffield, 1/ dis.—Grand Junction, 226—Liverpool, Orms-
kirk, and Freston, 114 p.—Manchester, Midland, and Great
Grimsby, % p.—Nottingham and Boston, % p.—Shropshire
Union Railway and Canal, par—West Riding Union, 7135.