The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-03 00:00:00

E StN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 3, 1845.

positively dangerous. If better vessels, out of all
sight, can be built by private companies than at the
Government dockyards, then the Government owes
it to the nation to give orders to private companies
for the construction of national vessels.
Government has had its agents on board, scrutinis-
ing the qualities of the Great Britain. Should they
report favourably, a great step will have been gained.
The vessel will, no doubt, have first to go through the
ordeal of an Atlantic voyage ; but should she prove
successful, then we think there is a fair and reason-
able chance, on applications being made in the proper
quarters, that this city may obtain orders for the con-
struction of one or more Government vessels.
No other place, perhaps, could be selected pos-
sessing equal advantages. The dock where the Great
Britain was built, and the immense machinery em-
ployed in her construction, being already at hand;
whilst the vicinity of Bristol to the iron of Wales
„gives her great facilities in cheaply procuring that
material.
The Great Britain, though possibly a ' failure in a
commercial point of view, may be looked upon as a
great experiment in naval science, which may yet
have a national influence. Should she succeed, and
should Government wish for vessels like her, surely
Bristol possesses claims superior to any other city
to be favoured with their construction.
It is to be hoped that this subject will not be lost
sight of by those who have most interest in looking
after the matter.—Bristol Mercury.

THE WEATHER—THE TEM-
PERATURE.
(From the Manchester Guardian.)
Since our last the weather has continued to increase
in severity, there being heavy falls of snow during
Tuesday night and Wednesday night, or rather
Thursday morning. The frost during Thursday
night was intense, and the temperature lower than
we have experienced in Manchester for a great num-
ber of years past. In the cold frosty weather of De-
cember last the temperature fell from 31 deg. on the
3d, to 20 deg. on the 6th; and during the night of
Saturday, the 7th, or rather at an early hour of Sun-
day, the Bth, it reached its lowest point, 19 deg.
But the temperature during the last few days has
declined much more rapidly, and to a much lower
point. On Monday the lowest point was 33 deg.;
on Tuesday, 26 deg.; on Wednesday, 23 deg.; on
Thursday evening, 13 deg. ; and yesterday morning
the mercury was as low as eight degrees of Fahrenheit,
or 24 deg. below the freezing point.
As this temperature is ) ae unusually low, as oc-
curring in this town, we have been careful to make
inquiries as to the circumstances under which it was
observed. Messrs. J. B. and J. Ronchetti have a
carefully graduated and tested thermometer, sus-
pended on a low wall, bounding a garden, at Higher
Ardwick, and not contiguous to any house; and at
midnight on Thursday this instrument indicated the
temperature to be 12 degrees. Struck with the low
point, Messrs. Ronchetti tried three other instru-
ments. They drove a piece of wood into the soil in
the middle of the garden, and hung these instruments
upon this wooden upright, at a height of about three
feet from the ground, and they all indicated the same
degree of temperature. At one o'clock yesterday
morning (an hour after midnight) they again looked
at all four instruments, and found them alike to in-
dicate 11 degrees ; at two o'clock they found the
temperature 10 degrees ; and at three o'clock in
the morning they were again observed, and at
that hour they all indicated a temperature of nine
degrees. They were not again observed till an ad-
vanced hour in the morning ; but, being all self-
registering, they were found alike to indicate, as the
lowest temperature attained, eight degrees. We un-
derstand, that, in this respect, they agree with other
instruments in different parts of the town and
suburbs. Mr. Lawrence Buchan, who resides in
Hyde Place, Higher Ardwick, and has for many
years been a careful observer of temperature—re-
gistering his observations, made with excellent in-
struments of his own construction—found the lowest
temperature registered on Friday morning to be
eight degrees ; exactly agreeing with the observation
of Messrs. Ronchetti, in the same suburb of Man-
chester. But we have received one communication
deserving of attention, from the well-known scientific
attainments of the writer, which certainly exhibits a
much lower minimum than that just noticed. The
following is the note of Mr. Joule, whose experiments
and researches in physical science are well-known :
" Sir,—This (Friday) morning, at half-past seven
o'clock, the temperature of the air at Oak Field, Upper
Chorlton-road, was four degrees and a half below the
zero of Fahrenheit, or 36? deg. below the freezing point.
The thermometer was placed in an open field, its bulb
being five or six inches above the surface of the snow.
" I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
" AMES J. JOULE."
This, it will be seen, is 12. degrees below the ob-
servations of Messrs. Ronchetti and Mr. Buchan.
But Mr. Joule's is not the only thermometer which
has shown this extraordinarily low temperature. We
have been informed that a gentleman residing at
Withington observed his thermometer, at eleven
o'clock on Thursday night, at six degrees ; and at
half-past six o'clock yesterday morning it indicated
two degrees below zero. This is not the first time
that we have noticed that, in the district to the south
of the town, within the range of
.the town fog, the
observations of low temperatures have indicated a
point lower, by several degrees, than in other localities
about equidistant from the centre of the town.
We know but previous of one occasion in which
the temperature has been observed so low as on that
just noticed. On the 13th of January, 1826, the
thermometer indicated 10 deg. Fahrenheit. On the
morning of Thursday, the 4th of January, 1827, the
lowest point observed in the town was 6 deg. above
zero ; but in several parts of the neighbourhood self-
registering thermometers were found to have marked
a temperature of 4 deg. below zero ; being at that
time the most intense cold ever observed in this neigh-
bourhood by any person in the habit of registering
his observations. During the great frost of 1814, the
lowest point was 6 deg. above zero. It is a fact
worthy of observation, that both in January, 1827,
and during Thursday last, the barometer was un-
usually low for a period of severe frost. During the
whole of Thursday last, it stood at 29.11, and the
mean pressure on the 3d of January, 1827, was 29.45.
January being the month of lowest temperature,
we have taken from the registered observations of
Messrs. ltonchetti the lowest temperatures recorded
by them during that month in each of the last sixteen
years :
January. Degs January. Degs
1830. 19th l7 1838. 19th,11degs.;20th 9
1831. 26th and 27th
1832. sth
1833. 10th
1834. 28th 3211842. 23d
1835. 21st 2011843. 2d
1836. llth
1837. Ist
To these we add the two lowest temperatures
known in Manchester or its neighbourhood :
Below Zero.
1827. Jan. 4.—Neighbourhood of the town, 4 dt-g.
1845. Jan. 31.—Upper Chorlton-road 4} deg.
1845. Jan. 31.—Withington

Mr. RANDALL urged upon the Court that he was
at a loss to understand why this cause should be so
pressed, when it could not be questioned that the
trading sought to be invaded had been carried on in
the City of London for nearly, or more, than a century.
Mr. RYLAND, in reply, stated that it was of the
utmost importance that the question raised should be
set at rest with as little delay as was consistent with
the interests of the parties concerned. The ward-
mote inquests had presented about 1,000 non-
freemen carrying on business within the City, and of
these 999 were awaiting the issue of the proceedings in
this cause. With these observations he left the mat-
ter in the hands of the Court, willing, as those by
whom he was instructed were, that the defendant
should have an opportunity of availing himself of the
best legal assistance.
The RECORDER, after some desultory conversation,
granted the defendant fourteen days' time to plead,
with the understanding that if the Court was, at the
expiration of that time, satisfied that with due dili-
gence the pleas could not have been prepared, an ap-
plication for further time might be made.
The order of the Court was then formally made,
and the proceedings terminated. The Court was
crowded with auditors anxious to hear the result.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
QUEEN• SQUARE.

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE.—On Saturday, as the ma
gistrate was about retiring, Miss Elizabeth Osborn, a
tashionably-attired female, of about thirty-five years of
age, who gave her address Earl'e-court, Brompton, and
represented herself to be the daughter of Sir John Os-
born, was placed at the bar, charged with stealing a pot
of potted meat from the shop of Mr. Edward Allum,
oil and Italian warehouseman, Brompton.
J. Russell, shopman to the prosecutor, stated that at
a little after three o'clock that afternoon he was serving
a person in his master's shop, when he was attracted by
the hurried manner in which the prisoner, who was
being waited upon by another person, spoke. He saw
her take up one of the pots of meat from a little stand on
the counter, and then it appeared to him that she put it
under her shawl. A boy, who was then in the shop
being served, informed him that he had seen the prisoner
take the pot, and witness, on examination of the pots,
missed one from the number. Prisoner having paid
for a small piece of soap she had bought, left the shop.
Witness followed her, and after she had proceeded
about thirty yards, asked her if she had paid for that
pot of meat. At that moment she had a pot of meat in
her hand, and said at first that she had purchased it at
Archbutt's, and then at Gunter's. She then gave wit-
ness the pot she held in her hand, which was a pot of
tongue, whilst that she had taken from prosecutor was
either a pot of beef or of game. He asked her whether
she had any objection to accompany him to either Arch-
butt's or Gunter's, when she replied that she had not.
Witness and the prisoner then went towards Mr.
Gunter's, and on arriving in Sloane-street, at the very
moment she was crossing a grating, prisoner dropped a
pot on the grating ; it broke, and some of it went down
the grating. Witness picked up all that he could, and
found it was a pot of beef, and se marked on the
outside, with also the maker's initials. 'Witness then
asked her if she had any more of them, and if so,
not to drop them. Prisoner then took one from under
her arm, and said she had purchased it, and then
immediately afterwards that a lady had given it
to her at Fulham ; that was a pot of game. They then
went to Gunter's, where witness ascertained that she
had purchased one pot of meat, but as she had the other
he detained her. Prisoner then said she would pay him
for all the pots, if he would let her go, and she then said
she would give him three times the value. He, however,
refused to let her go, and sent for a policeman. During
the time they were waiting for him, prisoner amused
herself by tearing the covers off a ream or half a ream of
note paper, which witness picked up. She was given
into custody; and, on her way to the station, tore up
some of the ream of paper, three or four sheets at a time.
Some rice and groats were found on her person, which
she said she had bought at Arehbutt's. He found, on
part of the covers of the paper which he had picked up,
" 179, Sloane-street." Prisoner said she bought the
tracts, four of which were also found upon her, at that
address ; but she did not say much about the paper. The
pot prisoner purchased at Gunter's was tongue. The
maker of Gunter's was the same who made for the
prosecutor.
Thomas Gosmer, a lad about 15 or 16 years of age,
said he lived with Mr. Edwin Faulkincr, 3, Edward-
street, Knightsbridge. Witness was at Mr. Allum's at
a little after three that afternoon, when he saw the
prisoner take a pot of meat and place it under her shawl.
Witness told the young man.
Thomas Rowland, 135 B, said that he took the prisoner
at Gunter's door, in Matcornbe-street. Prisoner said she
would pay for the pots, and then there would be nothing
more for witness to do with it. She started with witness
to the station, when she offered him half a sovereign to
let her go. Witness replied that he could not, if she
gave him 1,0001. Prisoner then said that if he would let
her go she would give him her address, and he could
call, and she would give him much more than she had
said. She tore up some blank paper as she went along.
She was searched at the station by a female, and nearly
half a ream of note paper, half a pound of rice, a packet
of groats, half a pound of soap, and a purse with half a
sovereign and four shillings were found upon her, be-
sides some religious tracts.
The accused attempted to have the dock, and on being
informed by the magistrate that he was most desirous to
hear any answer that she had to make to the charge,
Miss Osborn handed a note to the magistrate, observing,
" You will be kind enough to look at the address on this
note which I received this morning from a friend. I
merely produce it to show that I am the person I repre-
sent myself to be." The lady then stated that when she
came out . f the prosecutor's shop, into which sbe went,
as she had been in the habit of doing. to make a trifling
purchase, the shopman followed her and asked her if she
had got a pot of tongue, and not, :as :hefhad stated in
his evidence, it pot of meat. She replied she had bought
it at Gunter'S, which was the fact. She had been in the
habit of making purchases at Archbutt's, Gunter's, and
other places in the neighbourhood, and had bought some
of the things found upon her at those places; the rest she
had brought from home with her that day. as she was about
to take them somewhere. As regarded dropping the pot,
she assured the magistrate it was entirely accidental; and,
with reference to making an offer to the shopman to pay for
the pots, it was, of course, a most disagreeable affair,
which she was much annoyed at. She was entirely
innocent ; thera was nothing proved against her, as the
shopman evidently (Ld not know his own pots, they being
all alike. The lady, after a slight pause, continued, and
observed that she had brought the potted meats from her
own house that day, and the paper she had purchased,
she believed, at Murray's. This, as also the former por-
on of her defence, was given in a very incoherent

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
BAIL COURT, Feb. 1.
HAIGH V. POWELL.

The plaintiff in this case sought to recover compensa-
tion in damages for an injury he had sustained by fall-
ing down a hole, which had been carelessly and negli-
gently left open by the defendant. The defendant ad-
mitted his liability to the present action, and paid 50/.
into Court, as a sufficient compensation to the plaintiff.
It appeared from the evidence of tko plaintiff's witnesses,
that he is a hosier, carrying on his business in the neigh-
bourhood of Covent-garden, and that the defendant was
the proprietor of a temporary theatre, erected at Green-
wich, and that the plaintiff had fallen down a hole
close to it, which had been carelessly left open by the
defendant, and had broken his leg. One of the plaintiff's
witnesses stated, that he (the plaintiff) was the only man
in England who could make what were termed among
theatrical personages " fleshings" which gave an apparent
symmetry to the shape of the legs of those whose unfor-
tunate defects in that particular required " the foreign
aid of ornament," and that his artistical talents were
consequently in great request, not only among members
of the theatrical profession, but the nobility and public
in general.
Mr. Justice WILLIAMS inquired whether the plaintiff
manufactured false legs ?
Mr. HUMFREY explained that the plaintiff's talents
were limited to the manufactory of false calves.—(Loud
laughter.) The witness furiher stated that he considered
the plaintiff had, by his absence from business, in conse-
quence of the above accident, sustained a loss of not less
than 150 /.
The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages,
701., being 201. more than the amount paid into Court.

LORD MAYOR'S COURT, Feb. 1.
(Before the RECORDER, &c.)
THE CORPORATION PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE NON
FREEMEN—THE CHAMBERLAIN OF LONDON V. STURT.
This was an action brought against the defendant, a
highly respectable wholesale dealer in the City, by the
Chamberlain, for and on behalf of the Corporation of
the City of London, to recover certain penalties in-
curred by the defendant by reason of the violation of
the bye .laws and customs of London, in carrying on
his trade or business of a wholesale dealer within the
City, he not being a freeman. The case is one of
many actions instituted by the Civic authorities against
a numerous body of non-freemen, and the greatest
anxiety as to the result necessarily prevails. It will,
however, be seen by the subjoined report, that this
day's proceedings in the cause were only of an initia-
tive character, but still possessing abundant interest
to the many parties concerned.
Mr. RANDALL moved, on behalf of the defendant,
for a month's time to plead to the declaration. The
cause was one of vast importance, involving many in-
tricate points of law, which called for, and required,
grave consideration. It was well known that the
Corporation had long contemplated these proceedings,
and that being so it was not too much for the de-
fendant to ask for a reasonable time to prepare his
defence. An understanding had been come to between
the respectable gentleman to whom the defence had
been confided and the City Solicitor that every
reasonable facility should be afforded in order that
the question should be tried on its true merits, and
he submitted that this could not be done unless the
time to plead he prayed was granted. The Learned
Counsel added, that the declaration had not been filed
until the 13th ult.
Mr. RYLAND, who, with Mr. Laurie, appeared on
behalf of the plaintiff, at once opposed the motion.
The RECORDER inquired the date of the bye-law
upon which the declaration was framed.
Mr. LAURIE replied that it was dated the 15th
I April, in the 4th year of the reign of James I.
The RECORDER (to Mr. Randall)—And you think
that, as the Corporation have had about 240 years to
prepare to bring this action, you ought at least to
have a month's time to plead to it ?—(Laughter.)
Mr. RANDALL repeated that the Corporation had
possessed every facility to prepare, and that as yet
the defendant had not been allowed sufficient. time to
place the question fully and fairly before the Court.
Mr. RYLAND stated, on the part of the plaintiff,
that he was only anxious that everything connected
with the question should be brought before the Court
in the moat open manner, and that it was with that
object that he and his Learned Friend (Mr. Laurie)
now appeared to take the opinion of the Court as to
the propriety of granting the request now made on
behalf of the defendant.
The RECORDER inquired whether the declaration in
this action differed from those which had been pro-
ceeded upon against the retail dealers ?
Mr. RANDALL—There are meters alluded to in
this declaration which required much grave con -
sideration.
The RECORDER-1 am informed that this declara-
tion contains a count which is framed on a different
form from the declaration filed against the retail
dealers.
Mr. RANDALL—I am not aware that such is the
case.
The RECORDER--It appears to me that in this re-
spect the form of this declaration differs from its
predecessors.
Mr. RYLAND said that he, on behalf of the plaintiff,
should not object to time being granted to the defen-
dant to plead if the Court should so think fit, pro-
vided that his Learned Friend (Mr. Randall) would
give an undertaking not to move the cause by cer-
tiorari into the Court of Queen's Bench until after
verdict—a step which could only lead to vast delay
and great expense ; for, like the case of Clarke v.
Denton, it would be sent back by writ of procedendo,
to be tried by the jurisdiction before which it now
stood.
Mr. RANDALL replied that he was not in a situa-
tion to give the undertaking required, inasmuch as
he was not aware what view the common law counsel
who advised Mr. Sturt might take in the matter.
He must repeat that he only sought to bo allowed
such reasonable time as to be enabled by the pleas
fairly to raise the question before the Court.
Mr. RYLAND said that the Corporation authorities
did not object to grant a reasonable time, provided an
undertaking was given that unnecessary delay should
be avoided. In a fortnight's time, when the Court
would sit again, the defendant would surely be in a
position to say whether he would give the under-
taking or resist the imposition of any terms. It should
not be lost sight of that the time to plead expired
on the 19th of last month, and that on the application
of the defendant time had been granted by the law
officers of the City until the 29th ult.
The RECORDER said he was not disposed to take
away, or interfere with, the right of the defendant in
any stage of the case to carry the proceedings of the
Court for review before a superior jurisdiction. On
inquiry, he found that the case, Clarke v. Denton,
which had been referred to, differed from the case
now under consideration, inasmuch as the declaration
here sought by the introduction of a new count to
recover a penalty from the defendant for carrying on
the business or trade of a warehouseman. Under
these circumstances, he (the Recorder) was inclined
to give to the defendant further time to plead, but
not to the extent demanded. The pleas ought to be
filed on or before the next sitting of 'the Court.
The CITY SOLICITOR (Mr. C. Pearson) remarked
that the Court would resume its sittings that day
fortnight.
The RECORDER—Then, that will give the defen-
dant fourteen days to plead, reserving liberty to
move the Court for a further extension of time.
Mr. RANDALL remarked that fourteen days would
not afford a sufficient time for settling the pleas ne-
cessary to bring the question properly before the
Court. He had not seen any other of the counsel
engaged in the matter, and unless a longer period was
allowed, he feared he should, at the expiration of the
time; he compelled to submit a second motion to the
Court.
The RECORDER intimated to the Learned Counsel
that if he did so he must be prepared to satisfy the
Court that the defendant's pleader had not been
allowed sufficient time to deal with this declaration.
He (the Recorder) did not think there was anything
in the declaration which would require very special
pleas.
Mr. RANDALL observed that such might be the
fact, but Mr. Kelly, who had been retained to conduct
the defence, could not, with his multifarious avoca-
tions, give that consideration to the matter which it
demanded before the next Court day.
The RECORDER hinted that it would form no part
of Mr. Kelly's duty to prepare the pleas, and it was
almost a libel upon the pleaders of the Inner Temple
to say that in fourteen days they could -nut prepare
pleas to this declaration.

manner.
Mr. BURRELL asked her if she had any witnesses to
call 7—The lady replied in the negative.
Mr. BURRELL intimated that she must be remanded.
Prisoner exclaimed, Remanded 1"
Mr. BURRELL repeated the observation.
Miss Osborn—l bought the things. The shopman
can't prove anything against me.
Mr. BURRELL—He does to a certain extent.
Prisoner—l am Miss Osborn; of course you will allow
me to go home.
Mr. BURRELL—I cannot ; I really cannot.
IPrisoner—l have had potted meat and other things at
my own house for some time. My servants can prove it.
Mr. BURRELL—Have you any one here who can prove
where you bought them? Prisoner—l purchased them
some time ago at some of the places I have mentioned.
You will, of course, Mr. Burrell, permit me to return to
my family. lam Sir John Osborn's daughter. Perhaps
you will come and see him in the course of a few days.
Mr. BURRELL—I cannot ; I must do my duty.
Prisoner—You must take me home. My father will
come and take me away. He'll not allow tins.
Mr. BURRELL—You must be remanded on this charge.
Prisoner—lf lam not to go home, Mr. Burrell, where
am I to go ?
Mr. BURRELL—You must go to prison. I must do my
duty. It is painful—most painful—but I must do my duty.
Prisoner—You must come home with me and see my
father.
Mr. BURRELL repeated his last observation, and the
lady was removed from the dock crying, and imploring
the magistrate to release her.
She stands remanded until Thursday next.
The prisoner, who was much excited, was accommo-
dated with pen and ink, and addressed a note to Lady
Osborn and to a female friend, which she requested
might be immediately conveyed.
She was then removed to Tothill-fields in the prison van.

[ADVERTISEMENT.] CONSUMPTION.—AN Ex-
TRAORDINARY CURE BY HOLLOWAY'S PILLS ♦ND
OINTMINT.—Mary Gilmore, aged twenty-one, the
daughter of Mr. Henry Gilmore, :residing in Church-
street, Shoreditch, was in the second stage of
consumption, and considered past recovery, when, as
a last resource, large quantities of Holloway's Oint-
ment was rubbed twice a day into her chest and left
side, which was imbibed into the lungs, and there stopped
the ravages of this otherwise fatal disease as effectually
as though the remedy had been applied to an ulcerated
sore palpable to the eye. The Pills were taken as di-
rected, and the young person was perfectly cured in
three months. Sold by every medicine vendor, and at
the Establishment of Professor Holloway, 244, Strand,
where advice may be had gratis.
MORE ILLICIT DISTILLATION.—We believe it was
never before our hap to record, in three consecutive*
publications, instances of illicit distillation occurring in
the North. Such appeared in our paper of last, and
also of the preceding week ; and a fresh instance has
just been brought under our notice. Until now we
fancied that smuggling wan almost entirely put down-
by the strong arm of the Excise. It appears, however,
that there are still parties who roam about among the
rocks, "where the snow-flake reposes," making a
livelihood by defrauding the revenue and evading the
law. Glenlivat was, at no very distant period, one
of the strongholds of smugglers. On Thursday, 16th
instant, Mr. Bain, Excise officer at Grantown, the officer
at Tomintoul, and a party of three cuttermen, whilst
going their rounds through this secluded glen, came
upon a large still in full operation. The delinquents got
off with the still before the arrival of the party, who,
upon entering the boothy, found that it contained the
enormous quantity of 475 gallons of wash, and 51 gal-
lons of low wines, also 8 bushels of ground malt, a large
copper kettle, 4 large tuns, a mash tun, 8 casks and 4
tubs—making 18 utensils in all. The whole were de-
stroyed by the officers and their party. The country
people were collecting in scores, armed with stones and
bludgeons, but luckily before they arrived Mr. Bain and
the p irty had finished the work of detrucLion,ilna wero
at a safe diatauce. This active ofti,;er has been r:urvey-
-1 ing the district of Gienlivrt GA nowards of 17 years,
and this is the most extensive illicit 'distillation which he
has dimmed during that period.--Inverness Courier.

BRIGHTON AND CHICHESTER
RAIL WAY.
A special general meeting of the Shareholders in the
above railway was held on Saturday, in the great room
above the terminus at London-bridge, for the purpose of
receiving the report of the Directors relative to the
works in progress on the extension line to Portsmouth.
Capt. Kelly, R.N., Chairman of the Board of Directors,

presided.
The SECRETARY having read the report, which ex-
pressed the regret ft it, by the Directors at the non-pro-
gress of the works, but ascribed the delay to circum-
stances over which they had no control,
The CHAIRMAN rose to address the meeting. He had
to express, on behalf of himself and colleagues, their dis-
appointment at not being is a condition to submit a
more pleasing account of the progress of the works
upon the line, but they must all have seen the extra-
ordinary convulsions in the railw ty world, the number
of new companies formed for carrying out schemes of
the most extended character, and the consequent de-
mand for engineers to prepare plans and specifications.
Every engineer was engaged, and among the number
was Mr. Rastrick, whose services were of necessity and
entitely taken away from that Company. But still
they had not been altogether idle, for on the 30th of
November, having lodged their plans, they then de-
voted their whole attention to preparing specifications
to enable them to call for tenders to complete the
works. On the 16th of December they were fully
prepared with these, and on that day advertisements
were inserted in the newspapers. On the last day of the
year the tenders were opened by the Directors, and he
had the great satisfaction of informing the shareholders
that two of them were accented, with most respectable
contractors, at sums much below the Parliamentary esti-
mate. Those contracts were for work on the permanent
way. The Directors considered it more advantageous to
separate the stations and other works for another con-
tract. The engineer was then engaged in preparing spe-
cifications for these buildings, and, when ready, contracts
would be entered into for them. As stated in the report,
their time was not altogether lost. Their solicitors had
devoted themselves to the duties which more particularly
belong to their department, by placing themselves in
communication with the proprietors of land on the line,
and thus they were in advance of the contractors, by
getting possession of such parts of the line as was re-
quired. Negotiations were then going on, so that the
Directors hoped that as the works advanced laud would
be prepared for them. He (the Chairman) was not aware
that be need remark upon anything else. He was, how-
ever, perfectly ready to answer such questions as gentle-
men present might choose to ask. He begged to move
the adoption of the report.
The motion was seconded by a Proprietor.
Mr. D. W. HARVEY considered it not the least ad-
vantage of these occasional meetings, that Proprietors
had thus an opportunity of expressing any opinion they
might entertain of the course adopted by the manage-
ment, and by their observations, perhaps, assist in pro-
moting the common benefit. That was a meeting of
such a character, and although the Chairman could not
congratulate them on the progress made on the line from
Shoreham to Chichester, where the Board of Trade had
willed it to stop, yet ho (Mr. Harvey) begged to con-
gratulate the Directors on the nice position they had held
during the last six months. —(Heer, and laughter.)
The capital orginally proposed was 300,0001. ; but they
were now told that this calculation was likely to be di-
minished by the advantageous tenders made by the
contractors. Their capital was a small one when con-
sidered in reference to railway extensions ; but still the
shareholders in little concerns were not always satisfied
with little dividends.—(Laughter.) He was always one
of those who spoke their mind- openly, and it did appear
to him that a Board of eight Directors, with a salary of
1,000/. a year, was too large for so trifling a Company as
their own ; and as he understood that the line was to be
connected with the Brighton Company. he did not see
why their affairs should not be placed under that Board.
They had a, directory sufficiently numerous, and this
would add but little to their labours. One thousand a
year appeared to him an enormous sum for attending to
a little affair of that kind—especially when the union
would be a step in advance towards a common object.
He should like .o know whether it had ever engaged the
attention of the Directors that the decision of the Board
of Trade was final. He knew no rea on why it should
he challenged, for they could not move across the &tit-
of the House of Commons under a cost of 12,000/. He
did not see, therefore, why they should attempt to fight
against that decision. There was no more reason why
they should have a costly Board of Directors, with all
the costly paraphanalia, than that Shoreham should also
have one. It was a general principle—and he contended
it was a good one—that where the business of two or
three could be brought under one control—the smaller
the better—because the larger the number of Directors
the less the individual responsibility ; but if they gave
their money to two or three men, they secured attention,
therebeing no tie so strong as that of self-interest. It might
be desirable to confer with the Board of the Brighton
Directors to ascertain how far the suggestion would
meet their views. Should this union take place, then
the capital necessary for completing the Chichester line
might be raised by the Brighton Directors. Another
thing surprised him. They had given notice for this
session of a line from Chichester to Portsmouth. That
egg was, however, addled, for the Board of Trade had
sat on it, and it would now produce no chickens.—
(Laughter.) Now it occurred to him that it would have
been wisdom if they had thought of this before, and
when (during last session) they got the Bill to construct
the line from Shoreham to Chichester, they ought to
have at once secured powers to extend it on to Ports-
mouth. The Chairman had told them that the railway
world had been in a state of commotion, and that their
engineer had so much work to divert him from the
business of that Company, that the progress of
their works had necessarily been delayed.
(Hear, hear.) The Directors ought to have tested that,
and if they found that gentleman really so absorbed in
business, it would be no matter of delicacy to congratu-
late him upon it, but at the same time to insist that their
works should not be delayed, and unless he could give his
attention to them, they must find some one who could.
He threw out these remarks without any intention of
giving umbrage to the Directors, or to any one, but he
thought that, by the arrangement he had suggested,
1,0001. would be well saved to the Chichester share-
holders in the meantime, and ulterior advantages also
be derived by them.
Mr. GREENFELL objected altogether to the snggestion.
The Brighton Directors had already sacrificed the inte-
rests of that Company, and he would not like again to
trust them.
After a few words from Mr. SCOTT,
Mr BRUCE expressed a hope that some arrangement
would be made with the Brighton Company, for he
thought such a consolidation of interests would be most
beneficial to both Companies. He would, therefore,
move that it he recommended to the consideration of the
Directors, whether it would not be beneficial to both
Companies that a proposal of amalgamation should be
made to the Brighton Company.
Mr. Jowixit seconded the amendment.
Mr. RASTRICK (the engineer) said that some observa-
tions had been made respecting the delay in the progress
of the works. Some misapprehension appeared to exist
as to the cause of that delay, from the wording of the re-
port. In the first place, it was well known that the
whole of the line from Shoreham to Chichester
was very diffieult of construction, and necessarily caused
a delay in the preparing of plans and specifications.
Further delay had been caussd by disputes between the
proprietors of land upon the line and the Directors of
the Company. Those disputes had now been removed,
and he (Mr. Rastrick) had no hesitation in promising
that the whole line would be finished in nine months.—
(Hear, hear.) He had the more confidence in making
this promise, that the sanction of the Board of Adini
ralty had been given to the passage of the Arun, and
therefore the last obstacle was overcome to the further
progress of the works.
Mr. HARVEY suggested that the proposed amendment
should be made a substantive resolution, and that the
meeting should afterwards adjourn to that day fortnight,
to receive the result of the conference with the Board of
Directors of the Brighton Company.
Mr. FAITHFUL, solicitor, said it would be necessary
that the Directors should first be re-elected, as their term
of office expired on that day. The Act of Parliament
rendered such a proceeding imperative.
The Directors were 'then re-elected, and the resolu-
tion, as altered, put to the meeting and carried.
The meeting then adjourned till the 15th current.

INTERESTING SALE OF AUTOGRAPHS.-011 Friday
at one o'clock, a sale by auction of a large collection of
autograph letters and historical documents, the property
of a well-known collector, took place at Mr. Fletcher's
Room, 191. Piccadilly. There were 275 lots, consisting
of a complete series of autographs (excepting the auto-
graph of Geo. I.), and including some fine specimens, of
the kings and queens of Great Britain from Henry VIII.
to Geo. IV., various foreign sovereigns, noblemen, states-
men, naval and military commanders, literary characters,
poets and dramatists, scientific men, artists, &c. Two
letters in the handwriting of Mrs. Jordan sold for 7s.
Of statesmen, a letter of Charles James Fox sold for Bs.,
and one of George Canning for the same sum. A letter
of W. Pitt, as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, dated
Walmer Castle, May 13,1803, sold for 15s. Lot 100, a letter
of the celebrated G. Washington, dated Fairfax, count‘
of Virginia, June 24, 1771, brought the large sum of 21. ss.
Lot 101, a frank of Lord Byron, 6th of November, 1813,
very fine, sold for 11. 2s. Lot 109, autograph letter of
Dr. Benjamin Franklin to D. Hartley, sold for 1/. 13s.
An autograph letter of Shenstone (W.) the poet, to the
Hon. Mrs. Knight. sold for 135., and an unpublished
poem of Robert Bloomfield, in his autograph, sold for
1/. Is. The autograph of Henry VII. fetched 175.;
Henry VIII., 195.; " Marye the Queene," IL 25.; James
1., 1/. Is.; Charles Prince of Wales, 135.; a beautiful
letter of Charles I. to Viscount Falkland sold for 1/. 25.;
the autographs of Charles 11. brought small sums ;
James ll.'s letter to Dr. Zouch sold for 145.; the auto-
graphs of William 111., Mary, Anne, George 11., George
111., and George IV.. brought sums of from ss. to
14s. each. Lot 154, ten original state letters, addressed
to William 111., from Christian VIII., King of Den-
mark, the Emperor Leopold, the Dukes of Saxe
Gotha, and various other German potentates, sold for
21. 12s. 6d. Lot 164, authograph letter of the Princess
Charlotte, sold for 1/. Bs. The next lot, " A leaf from
the same lamented Princess's copy-book, the text, ' Fame
Animates,'" sold for 1/. Is. Lot 174, a beautiful auto-
- graph letter of Margaret of Austria to the Queen of
France, date 1610, sold for 24 25. Lot 224, Casti No-
velle Galardi, an unpublished translation 9f five tales
into English verse, by Lord Byron, partly
in the auto-
graph of Percy Byshe Shelley, by whom t has been
prepared for publication, sold for ail guineas. The next
lot consisted of a folio manuscript of 358 pages, every
page containig autograph of Sir alter Scott ; this
3,11 for the snluall sun' of 2/. 105.., w Whilst, earlier in the
stlle, n one utograph of the saneLrought Es.
he e,ate excited consid,srabl,,,nroq, toP principal pur
chasers being Messrs. Thorpe, Simpson, Upcott, Boone,
Rutherford, &o.