The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-03 00:00:00

PRESTON AND LONGRIDGE RAILWAY.

PRESTON, FRIDAY.— The general half-yearly meeting of the
shareholders in the Preston and Longridge Railway Com-
pany was held yesterday, for the purpose of receiving the
usual reports up to the 31st of August, the declaration of a
dividend, and the election of Directors, in the place of those
retiring. Charles Swainson, Esq., Chairman of the Directors,
presided.
A statement of the receipts and expenditure was read by
the secretary, from which it appeared that the half- year's
income amounted to 2,6851. 19s. 3d., and the disbursements
to 1,3631.175. 5d., and oat of the balance a sum of 6221. Is. 10d.
was proposed to be appropriated in dividends.
The report of the Directors was as follows :
" The Directors, in presenting their report for the half-year
ending on the 31st August last, have much satisfaction in
being able to state to the Proprietors that the traffic on the
line, during the last half-year, both as regards the carriage of
stone and the conveyance of passengers, has quite realised
their expectations ; and the finances of the Company are such
as to enable them to recommend a dividend. The prospects
of improvement are at present very encouraging, not only as
regards the traffic on the line, but also as regards the ad-
vantages likely to arise from the various lines of railway now
in contemplation with which the Preston and Longridge
lines will be immediately connected. The Directors beg to
recommend to the Proprietors to declare a dividend of 1 Is.
per share, clear from income-tax, for the half-year ending
August 31, amounting to the sum of 6601. The Directors
who retain office in pursuance of the Act are, Messrs.
Corry, Gorst. Lowe, Addison, and Swainsen, who are re-
eligible; and Mr. Winstanley, who has disqualified."
Mr. CLARKE put some questions to the Directors, with
reference to the prospects of the Company from being con•
nected with the several lines which are projected to pass
through or near Preston.
The CHAIRMAN, in reply, stated that the Fleetwood, Pres-
ton, and West Riding Railway Company would willingly
take this line as part of their own, paying for it in their own
shares at par, and that the Preston and Wyre Company, in-
tended to make a branch to it from their station at Maud-
lands. At all events, the line would be taken by one or other
of the companies into the town, and there joined with the
other railway communications, so that their property must
necessarily be improved considerably.
The report was then adopted.
Mr. CLARKE moved, and Mr. GORST seconded, the declara-
tion of the dividend recommended by the Directors. Carried.
The retiring Directors were re-elected, and in the place of
Mr. Winstanley, Mr. Robinson was appointed.
The meeting then separated.

WOLVERHAMPTON, CHESTER, AND BIRKENHEAD

JUNCTION RAILWAY.

BIRMINGHAM, FRIDAY, SEVEN P.M.—A meeting of the
provisional committee of the above Company was held at
their offices, in Temple-street, this afternoon. There was a
numerous assemblage of Directors, and business of the ut-
most impedance was transacted ; but, as a matter of course,
it was, generally 8/inking, of a private character. As con-
siderable anxiety is now felt in reference to the ability of
projected companies to comply with the standing orders of
the Houses of Parliament, it may be as well to state that the
following letter from Mr. Maude, the engineer, was handed
to the Chairman. in answer to a note requiring information :

" TO THE MANAGING COMMITTEE.

" Gentlemen,—ln reply to your inquiries as to the state of
the survey of this railway, I am happy to have it in my power
to inform you that it is in a very forward state, upwards of
three-fourths of the line being surveyed, and the trial levels
completed.
"I have no doubt but that I shall have all the plans required
by the standing orders of the Houses of Parliament ready to
be deposited on the 29th of November, and hope to have them
ready three or four days earlier.

" I am, Gentlemen, yours obediently.
" ED. JAS. MAUDE."

The Committee having received the report-and entered it
on the minutes, further inquiries were made, and arrange-
ments were at once effected that will ensure the Company
going before Parliament in the ensuing session. The usual
notices required to be given on the 11th of November

will, it is expected, be fully ready by the 4th or sth at th
latest.

The Manchester and Birmingham have purchased the
Macclesfield and Lichfield line, which has been delivered
over on the following terms, viz. :—The Committee and land-
owners are to have 15,000 shares of 201. each, and 55,000 go,
to the Proprietors of the Manchester and Birmingham.
The contracts for the line to Altrincham have been let by
the Directors of the Manchester and Birmingham. The con-
tract for the Altrincham line, seven miles in length, was taken
by Mr. Brogden, and the South Junction by Mr. David Bell-
house, of Manchester. The latter line, which will connect
the Manchester and Birmingham with the Liverpool and
Manchester, will commence at London-road and terminate
at Ordsall- lane, Salford ; the whole length, one mile and
three quarters, being carried on brick and stone arches, and
13 large iron bridges, thew of which will be respectively 105
feet, and 71 feet in span.
The London, Salisbury, and Yeovil, Exeter, Yeovil, and
Dorchester, and Cornwall and Devon Central, are to be
amalgamated.
Correspondents at Brussels state that at the ensuing meet-
ing of the Chamber it is expected a concession will be
granted to a company called the Calais, Dunkirk, and Bruges
Junction, who propose forming a line from Bruges to the Bel-
gian frontier, and there joining a line proceeding directly to
Calais. Government, it is said, have ordered three powerful
steam-vessels to be constructed for the packet service, to run
from Dover to Calais as soon as the branch lines of the
Grand Trunk Railway are completed. The mails to Bel-
gium, Austria, Prussia, and the east of Europe, will be for.
warded by Calais. It being desirable to avoid, as much as
possible, the delay and uncertainty attending a sea-passage,
all the eastern continental mails will, after the construction
of this line, proceed through Brussels, which will be brought
within an easy journey of ten hours of London.
WATERLOO-BRIDGE AND THE LONDON CENTRAL RAIL-
WAY.—The committee of proprietors of Waterloo-bridge
held their monthly board meeting, at the offices in Beaufort-
buildings, yesterday. The chief business to be transacted
was the settlement of the proposed arrangement with the
London Central Railway Terminus Company ; but, although
Sir John Rennie was present, who, together with Mr.
Locke, as engineers of the Company, have been instructed
to make the requisite survey, yet, in consequence of the
multifarious engagements of these gentlemen, they have not
been able to effect such object, and the arrangement cannot
be therefore carried into immediate effect, although it will
ultimately. Indeed, should anything occur to disturb the
negotiation with the above railway Company, of which
there is no probability, the Western and Southern Counties
Railway, and other companies have made offers. The
terms between the Bridge and London Central Companies
are the payment of a rental of 6,0001. a year, or thereabouts.
It is stipulated that the line shall be on the atmospheric
principle, the !platform to be chiefly used so as to prevent
noise, and the consequent probability of causing accidents
by frightening horses passing over the bridge. The plat-
form will be supported by pillars to be erected on the abut-
ments of the arches on the western side of the bridge, and
which, it may be observed, extend sufficiently beyond the
present superstructure; these, however, should a double line
be required, will be still further extended without impair-
ing the present fabric. The plan proposed will enable the
carriages to run without causing the originally contemplated
nuisance to the inhabitants of Tillotson-place, and other
houses on the south side of the river, near which the line is

intended to pass.
SHREWSBURY, WOLVERHAMPTON, AND SOUTH STAFFORD-
SHIRE JUNCTION.—A general meeting of the provisional and
acting committee of this Company was held at the Lion Hotel,
Shrewsbury, on Wednesday, for the purpose of considering
the proceedings which had already taken place regarding the
formation and progress of the Company, and for hearing a
statement of their future prospects, as connected more par-
ticularly with the recent alliance of the two great railway
interests, viz., the London and Birmingham, and the Grand
Junction Companies, and the way in which such combination
of interests would affect those of this Company. G. Thorney-
croft, Esq., Chairman of the Board of Directors, presided.
A statement of the late arrangements between the Grand
Junction and the London and Birmingham Companies, was
given by Mr. Swift, solicitor to the Grand Junction Com-
pany, from which it appeared that the most friendly relations
now exist between those two important bodies; that the
utmost influence of the Grand Junction Company is to be
given to support the Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton line,
and that the London and Birmingham Company withdraw
their support from those parties who are opposing such line,
and who had, previous to the late arrangements, the support
of the London and Birmingham Company.
At a meeting of landowners, held at Tewkesbury on Wed-
nesday, and at which Sir A. Lechmere and Mr. Dowdeswell,
M.P., were present, resolutions were passed in opposition to
the proposed Cheltenham and Malvern Junction, and a Com-
mittee was appointed to watch the proceedings.
GLASGOW, DUMFRIES, AND CARLISLE.—At a meeting of
the inhabitants of Thornhill, just held, resolutions in favour
of renewed application to Parliament in the ensuing session
in favour of this line were passed.
GREAT WESTERN AND BRISTOL AND EXETER.—A meeting
of proprietors in the Bristol and Exeter line was held in the
latter city on Tuesday, when the following resolutions were
adopted :—" lst. That it appears to this meeting desirable
that the Bristol and Exeter Railway should be sold on
equitable terms to the Great Western Railway Company.
2d. That the terms of sale recommended by the Direc-
tors in their circular of the sth instant are not adequate
to the value of the property; bat that in the opinion of this
meeting the proposed perpetual interest should not be less
than six per cent. without any contingent deduction, to
commence from January, 1846 ; and that calls on the Third
Share Stock should be made in proportion to the old shares,
so that the whole capital be paid up by the Ist of January,
1849. With these modifications in the provisional agree-
ment the property would be cheaply purchased by the Great
Western Company. 3d. Theta Committee be appointed to
meet and confer with the Directors, and take such steps for
carrying out the objects of this meeting as they may deem
desirable; and that such Committee consist of the Chairman,
Mr. Tombs, Mr. Stogion, Mr. Colson, and Mr. W. Hooper.
ISTHMUS OF PANAMA.—Much (says the Journal des De-
bats) has been lately said about the opening of the Isthmus
of Panama, and a few days since it was publicly announced
that the enterprise was about to be entered upon by an
English company, excluding any foreign names. The fol-
lowing are so-ne of the facts in relation to the present posi-
tion of the undertaking :—Two years since the French Go-
vernment determined to send out two engineers to New
Grenada, in order to report upon the possibility of a com-
munication being formed between the two oceans. Those
gentlemen, after an absence of seven months, returned
with plans, &c., giving their decided opinion that the project
could be carried into execution. For several years two
Frenchmen, named Salomon and Joly de Sabla, had been
established on the spot, and after great 1 ibour and searching
investigation had prepared much information, which proved
highly useful to the engineers. They had even obtained
from the Government of New Grenada the sanction to esta-
blish either a canal or a railway, but a contest arose between
Salomon and Joly de Sabla and the Neogrenculian govern-
ment. In this situation of affairs no Company could be got
together to undertake this great work ; however, now all
impediments have been removed, and for some months a.
Company has been formed at Paris, to whom MM.
Salomon and Joly de Sabla have given up all their
interest. The Company has been founded under the pa-
tronage of the most distinguished in the two chambers
to carry into operation the projected junction of the two
oceans, first by means of a railway, and ultimately by a
navigable canal. The strictest care has been adopted to
secure all documents and plans that can possibly throw a
light on the undertaking. Besides the plans of MM. Salo-
mon and Joly de Sabla, they have received information and
assistance from the engineers who visited the Isthmus, one
of whom is engaged by the Company for carrying out the
project. The capital of the Company (part English and part
French) is guaranteed by some of the most respectable houses
both in Paris and London. Thas prepared in all necessary
respects, the Company have only to strengthen their under-
taking by obtaining the sanction and support of Government.
The assent of the French Minister of Foretn Affairs has been
gained, and the support of the English Government is confi-
dently expected. The Government of New Grenada is impa-
tiently looking forward for the carrying out of so important a
work. The French Ambassador at Bogota has been officially
informed of the formation of the Company, and the support
which it has received from the Government. The Company
has sent out its representative to New Grenada, and the engi-
neer is about to follow, in order that all the conditions with
that Goverr ment may be ratified and the works commenced
There is no doubt the Company will be publicly announced
without delay, but up to this time the particulars as to shares
&c., have not transpired.