The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-07 00:00:00

tbirb libition

SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock.

,AILWAY COMMITTEES.

(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
TAE CORNWALL RAILWAY.
ADO Committee appointed to consider this Bill sat, for the first
'Line, at eleven o'clock, Lord Ellenborough in the chair.
!great number of petitions for and against the Bill were read.
AUSTIN said that he understood that the Bill was opposed by
Lain Parties connected with a rival scheme, entitled " The Central
wail Railway Company," but it was well.known that the
:40nal shareholders in that Company had resolved to effect an
"4angement with this one, and certain persons were appointed to
withpreliminaries. It was ultimately arranged that, in consi.
iof 1,700 shares in this Company, the Central one was to
ahLtraW all opposition, and to dissolve itself as a Company. The
tain7ition, therefore, was' not and could not be from the late Corn-
y. /tr. Anglin objected to the reception of the petition from what
called the Cornwall Central Railway, and to the Committee at
irentertaining their objections. They had no locus standi—there
been no such project before Parliament—nor was there then
adanyneh project—therefore, there could be no existing interest.
„.`n a Project might have been once in contemplation, but it never
wentbefore a Committee of the House of Commons.
E.:ol..tn;ascontended by Counsel on the other aide that the petition
should be entertained. Such a project still existed; and though it
been sanctioned by Parliament, ,it, had been before the
✓ "of Trade; There it had been rejected ; and the Committee
Id recollect, that before Parliament met, and which was when
that rejection took place, it was generally believed that the
decision of the Committee of the Board of Trade was final
bee▪
oe°nelusive, and this was the reason why the project had not
forward with vigour.
11 rTohu De sh e
Projectedd line extends from Plymouth to Falmouth, passing
, g
Liskeard, Lostwithiel St. Austell, and near Truro, on to
14 ter nua at -Falmouth. 'The. line isi sixty.five miles long.
thetee yof gradients are in the abstract very bad, but, considering
AAlly nature of the country, are as good as could be selected.
long discussion ensued, as to whether or no the petition should
received.
hod Smith, a solicitor residing at Truro, was examined. He
th ed In The Morning Sun newspaper of the 19th February of
e Present year, in which there was an advertisement, convening
a ',sleeting of the Cornwall and Devon Central Railway for the 25th
the tame month. The witness went on to to say, that the pro.
als..;(4..ers of the Present Bill suggested a proposal for an arrangement
with the Central Cornwall and Devon Railway, by which all
?PP° Won to the Bill before the Committee would be abandoned
ostirotzlh,res4ean.rbtn:riarynle:Cornwall and Devon, in case the former took 1,700
agrineedthuepolant.ter. This arrangement witness under-
Secretary to the Cornwall and Devon Central Rail.
2,7
_entPany, said the advertisement spoken of appeared in the
Port
and Chronicle, as well as in The Morning Sun. The pur-
r,:
ttnheeemngeeintienegr was to receive the report of the Committee in
's statement was embodied. Felt satisfied the
e:rng had not been convened for the purpose of entering into
any arrangement with the promoters of the present project. The
Protect of which he was secretary was going on very well until the
rePOtt of the Beard of Trade came out at the end of last December,
went their Proceedings were paralysed by it. The witness
wi„int° a detail of the proceedings at the meeting alluded to, at
of ;nu there was considerable difference of opinion, and a good deal
or grY squabbling. One body of the shareholders was in favour
Bohn arrangement with the promoters of the Cornwall Railway
zt,llst another witness stated that a most influential and im-
t part was averse to it.
that Wes
after held by the promoters of the Bill before the Committee
e_ the meeting of the 25th of February, the Cornwall and
Pon on Central Railway Company had dissolved, whilst by the op-
sharrit° the reverse was contended for. An immense number of
vri;est_h ad :been taken in the Central Cornwall and Devon Rail-
the I,r Which not one shilling had been paid in. The majority of
Italiw:Thional Committee paid nothing in. The South-Western
7.000 ,Y,C°mPany took 10,000 shares, but paid nothing. Only
40,000""archolders had paid in. There were between 30,000 and
kr. Shares allotted to the public, exclusive of 5,000 shares to
nther, p. and 10,000 to the South. Western Company.
itiro'n.rineY, a solicitor, was next examined on the part of the op.
Provisi The Cornwall and Devon Central Railway Company was
Mr'
"ally
registered.
WitnAnaTlN denied this assertion.
stoat:en went on to say, that in every principal town in the
at ,11..nleetinge were held on the subject of the central line,
The ..'ch an unanimous feeling prevailed in its favour.
a ur Promoters of the present scheme had never held
to he:tine fl in the county, because they were afraid
tended— it• The meetings in favour of the scheme was at-
24rv.
of
the
Principal men in Cornwall. At the meeting of the
nt. s'ebruary, a resolution was carried to enter into the ar-
Lai:• 14e" spoken of with respect to the promoters of the Cornwall
pierarY; but witness, Mr. Passingham, the engineer, and others,
eount ed against it, as being a sacrifice of the interests of the
bellr: Austin and Mr. Cockburn, at the conclusion of this wit-
atri testimony, engaged in a most dry and wearisome argument,
L‘.2
stwhether the Central Cornwall and Devon Railway had any
—7.! anal before the Committee.
be T• COCKBURN then read the petition of the Cornwall and
von Ceritral Railway, alleging several gross misrepresentations
en the
"ma Part of the promoters of the Bill before the Committee, and
ling for a hearing before their Lordships' Committee.
he Committee adjourned at five o'clock.
Et:

The CHAIRMAN, on taking his seat this morning at the usual
hour, said that he had received a communication from the Admi.
rally, referring to the bridge on the river Rother proposed by the
Sonth-Eastern Company, and forming a necessary part of the Ash-
ford and Hastings line. The letter was dated 4th June, and con-
tained a statement to the effect that the Admiralty would not
allow any such bridge to be made.
Mr. ALEX ANDER said that he had a letter from the Admiralty,
dated sth June, and containing the assent of that Board to the
making of the bridge on certain conditions. Mr. Alexander then
put

manage their business with greater profit to themselves and benefit
to the public. The principles, then, of the unity of management,
the circumstance of the line passing by the old road, and the bring-
ing the intermediate lines into combination with the trunk line,
were certainly recommendations. 50,000/. was put down for stations,
independent of land and earthwork. It was certainly advisable to
have a station apart from the York and North Midland station.
The station at York would occupy a space of eight acres, which
would have to be raised nearly sixteen feet, but he had made no
estimate of the cost. That he would find to-morrow. At this
place there was to be a small depot for coals, but that would in no
way interfere with the present trade. In case of any express train
being required, some delay would necessarily arise on the London
and York line. Thera wculd be some delay in the case of an ex-
press train joining the Great North of England, but not equal to
that which would be experienced on the other lines. Passengers
by the Scarborough line, and also those by the
York and North Midland line, would have to take
omnibuses to get on to the Direct Northern line.
For the transference of goods it would be advisable to have a branch
line from the two lines he had just mentioned. He proposed to
cross the Stainforth Canal at an elevation of 18 feet, and the river
Don at an elevation of 22 feet. The difficulty of the navigation of
the Stainforth Canal was considerable, the water at Stainforth
Dock not being more than five or six feet at neap tides, and the
canal had been formed expressly with a view of avoiding the diffi.
culty of the river Don. There was a fixed bridge below Stainforth,
and the one there was over the unnavigable part of the river, but
there was a swing bridge over the navigable portion of the
stream below that point. The steamers plied between Thorne and
Hull, or rather between Hansman Hill Ferry and Hull, with a
fixed funnel, and as the line would pass over the river about a
quarter of a mile below the ferry, the vessels would have to step
below the bridge, where a stone quay might be built. The Stain-
forth Canal would be passed by a fixed bridge with a headway of
18 feet. There was no fixed bridge between the Sainforth Canal
at Stainforth and the river Trent, and the promoters, there-
fore, proposed to establish a fixed bridge for the first time, and
it would be impossible, for vessels navigating the canal
certainly could not pass under the bridge without lower-
ing their masts. He was not aware that there were
any fixed bridge between Thorne and Stainforth. The culvert at
the Idle.drain was to be a twelve foot culvert, with tour foot eight
inches headway. The several other culverts were then described,
and shown to have been considered in every instance. At the
Snow sewer the line would pass over land of which five acres were
now under water. They passed across the land at Hatfield Chase
and in the neighbourhood which was waiting for warping on an
embankment, but that offered no impediment whatever to the warp-
ing of the land, for a culvert could be formed at any place that was
most convenient. On the River Trent he knew that land had been
warped ten miles from the river. There was no objection on the part
of Sir W. Milner, the embankment there being a trifle higher than
the London and York line. The two lines passed by Bishops.
thorpe very much under the same circumstances, and he believed
that the Archbishop of York was rather favourable than otherwise,
though he had in the first instance stated great objection to the
line. The line passed the Leeds and Selby line, at an elevation of
eighteen feet, and an immediate junction could therefore be formed.
The culverts were about five feet wider, which was in every in.
stance a sufficient width.

he letter in in evidence.
Mr. Mark Dorman, a carrier at Ashford, spoke to the advan.
ages to trade derivable from the proposed line, and especially to
.he great improvement in the wool trade of Ashford which would
ensue from the formation of such a line.

Mr. Barlow, engineer, spoke to the superiority of this line over
the proposed Brighton, Ashford, and Hastings line, in an engineer
ing point of view. The line was 26 miles 24 chains in length,
It had but one tunnel, the length of which was 2,129
yards. This was the only important difficulty on the
line. The steepest gradient on the line was lin 100, which was
continued for 11 miles in one place. The total length of the inclines
of 1 in 100, would be five miles eighteen yards. There would be
a swing-bridge over the Bother, and the height of that bridge from
high water-mark would be twelve feet. The proposed Brighton line
would have a bridge across the Bother only four feet above
the high water-mark. The proposed swing.bridge might
have a span of forty feet. There were several
great difficulties on the proposed Brighton line, and there were
gradients of 1 in 50. He had estimated the expense of the pro-
posed line, which would be 420,0001. This included the expense
of masonry, &c., for a double line, but of rails only for a single line.
The reason he had formed the estimates in this manner was, that it
might be necessary at a future time to make a double line of rails,
but it was intended to make at present only a single line. The
expense of the proposed Brighton line would be 500,000/., being
80,000/. more than the Ashford and Hastings line. This,estimate
had been formed on the same principle as that of the Ashford and
Hastings line, allowing a sufficient sum for masonry, &c., for a
double line, but allowing for rails only for a single line.
The witness was then cross-examined by Mr. Mellor on the part
of the proposed Brighton line, and by Mr. Belasis on the part of
the Commissioners of the Rye Harbour.
Mr. ALEXANDER then observed, that he had intended to call
other witnesses, but there was an arrangement between the South-
Eastern and Brighton Companies which he thought would not
only save the time of the Committee, but would be productive of
great public good. For this reason he wished to postpone the
remainder of his evidence for the present, and would suggest that
the Committee should go on with the Brighton line in the mean
time.
The CHAIRMAN assented, and the Committee was about to pro-
ceed with the Brighton line, when
Mr. MELLOR said that he was not prepared to go on, but would
be ready in a few minutes.

Mr. AUSTIN proposed that the
GRAVESEND AND ROCHESTER LINE

should be taken next, as it would not occupy more than a few
minutes.
__ _

......
The CHAIRMAN agreed, and Mr. Austin called
Mr. Langridge, the engineer of the proposed line, who spoke to
the nature of the scheme. The line was already in existence but
was a single line, and it was proposed to make another set of rails,
as a double line was found to be necessary.
The CHAIRMAN declared the preamble of the Bill to be proved,
and the clauses of the Bill were then read and agreed to.

After an allusion to the estimates, the Committee adjourned till
:we've o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP W.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT.

Mr. TALBOT then addressed the Committee on the part of the
proposed

GOOLE AND DONCASTER RAILWAY.
It will be remembered that the Committee on this Bill, which
was presented for their consideration about three weeks since, de-
clared that they considered the line it proposed to construct was,
to a certain extent, a competing line with part of the London and
York line. They, therefore, declared that it would be necessary to
hear the decision of the London and York Committee before enter-
ing into the details of this line, and adjourned until to-day.
At the meeting of the Committee this morning the room was
cleared. After the lapse of three-quarters of an hour,
The doors were re-opened, when the CIIAIRMLN declared that it
was the opinion of the Committee that as the decision on the Lon.
don and York line had not been given, and would not be given
until so late in the session that there would be no time to enter
upon this line, it would be better for all parties that the Bill should
be brought forward next session.
After some discussion among the parties interested in the Bill,
they expressed their satisfaction at the course adopted, and the
ommittee separated.

• -
ASHFORD AND HASTINGS (ATMOSPHE-
RIC) BRANCH OF THE BRIGHTON AND
LEWES LINE,

TATTERSALL'S.-THIS EVENING.

SIX O'CLOCK.

JULY STAKES.
2 to 1 on the field
3 to 1 agst Moonbeam

LIVERPOOL cur.
7 to 1 agst Winesour—taken
8 to I agst Milton
8 to 1 agst Trueboy
9 to 1 agst Rowena
12 to 1 agst Ironmaster

GOODWOOD STAKES.
10 to 1 agst Pythia
13 to 1 agst The Libel
18 to 1 agst Queen Blab
20 to 1 agst Pineapple
20 to 1 agst Lightning
20 to 1 agst Venus
20 to 1 agst John o'Gaunt
20 to 1 agst Glossy
25 to 1 agst Boarding- School Miss
25 to 1 agst Warp
25 to 1 agst Lothario

GOODWOOD cur.
2 to 1 agst Foig-a-ballagh.
5 to I agst Iroumaster
10 to 1 agst any other
ST. LEGER.
5 to 1 agst Weatherbit
10 to 1 agst Annandale
20 to 1 agst Pantasa
25 to 1 agst Connaught Ranger

MPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
(THIS EVENING.)

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAI_EVENING, JULY 7, 1845.

lord and tenant commission, and praying that the legis-
lature might sanction some remedy in order to guarantee
to tenants on short leases compensation for improve-
ments on their farms.
The SPEAKER inquired if the llon. Member bad
given notice of his intention to present the petition.
Mr. O'BRIEN replied in the negative.
The petition was allowed to lie on the table.
Mr. MASTERMAN presented numerous petitions
from guilds and companies of the City of London against
the Charitable Trusts Bill.
Mr. BERNAL and Lord J. RUSSELL presented petitions
to a similar effect from inhabitants of the City of London.
Also petitions praying for a reduction in the price of
land in New South Wales.

also applies to Ireland, and the Fisheries Bill, 1 believe,
all of which, it is agreed, shall be forwarded.—(Hear.) I
have, in addition to those, to mention that there
is a matter of business of importance to be dis-
charged, that is, there are no fewer than eighty
exceptions on votes of Supply.—(Hear, hear.) Now,
on no account can these votes of Supply be passed over
or p'stponed ; and, therefore, I do hope that Hon. Mem-
bers who have given notice of these votes, will, in consi-
deration of the advanced period of the session at which
we have now arrived, and the state of public business,
waive their objections, when they recollect that
some time must necessarily elapse before the House can
enter upon the final consideration of the Irish Colleges
Bill, which I did hope the House would have been able
to dispose of this day week.—(Hear, hear.) In making
this statement her Majesty's Government have also
thought it expedient to make this further arrangement ;
namely, that my Right Hon. Friend, the Secretary of
State for the Home Department, wishes to have time
for the reconsideration of the Medicine and
Physic Bill, and to have it reprinted.—(Cheers and
laughter from the Opposition.) My Right Honourable
Friend did flatter himself at one time that this Bill had
been so far advanced as to have received the assent of
the House to it this session, and if he could have done
so it would have been very desirable indeed to have re-
lieved the House from all further discussion upon the
matter next session; but the Bill having met with such
very decided opposition, my Right Honourable
Friend has consented to postpone it rather
than further consume the time of the House
upon the question.—(Hear, hear.) The other
measures which we will find it necessary to postpone are,
the Justices Clerks' Bill, the Clerks of Petty Sessions
Bill, and the Parochial Settlement Bill.—(Hear, hear.)
There was another bill brought in by the Board of
Trade and the Admiralty—the Merchants and Seamens
Bill ; it was in general favour, and they hoped to be able
to carry it into a law this session. He was now only
speaking of the bills for which her Majesty's Govern-
ment were responsible. He would not refer to bills
which were under the charge of other hon. members.
An HoN. MEMBER—The Coal Trade Bill.
Sir R. PEEL said that they should desire to go into
that Bill. _ _ _

Lord CLEMEN I'S said as there was no public busi-
ness he wished to trespass on the attention of the House
for a few moments on a matter personal to himself.
On Friday night, or rather Saturday morning, he
had felt it his duty to make some observations on
the Constabularies (Ireland) Bill. He was reported
in the public journals to have said that Orange-
men were the cause of disturbances in the county
of Leitrim, for which peaceable Protestants and Catho-
lics had suffered by taxation. He appealed to any Hon.
Member who heard him whether he had used such lan-
guage. He was sorry to be obliged to occupy the time
of the House in contradicting that statement, but had
endeavoured to have it explained in a more private man-
ner in a newspaper which, it was supposed, represented
the opinions of Hon. Members on that side of the House,
but ineffectually. He denied having said that there were
any Orangemen in Leitrim—he again asserted that he
did not know of any Orangeman being there, he must
say as a magistrate of the county of Leitrim, there NA ere
not more well-disposed people on the face of the earth.
He would not allow his name to be used in an injurious
manner to any party, and thought it but common justice
to make this statement.
Mr. HUME then moved for a return of the number
of troops of all descriptions and ranks in the province
of Scinde, under the command of General Sir Charles
Napier, on the Ist day of January, 1845 ; stating the
number of Queen's and of Company's troops ; distin-
guishing the regular regiments, cavalry and Infantry,
from the irregular corps of infantry and cavalry ; the
number and description of artillery, engineers, commis-
sariat, and 'all other establishments iu the pro-
vince at that date. Estimate of the expense of
these troops for the year 1844-1845, and the average
Ordinary charges of such corps in the Company's pos-
sessions in time of peace, and also the amount of extra-
ordinary expense incurred for these corps in their service
in Scinde for the year. Estimate of the receipts of re-
venue of every kind in Scinde for the year 1844-5, dis-
tinguishing the several heads, and the amount of each
head : also, a return of the number of civil servants in
Scinde, for the same time, and the expense of such civil
establishment, under separate heads ; so as to exhibit a
correct estimate of the finance of the province in that
year.—Ordered.
Mr. PUSEY moved that an humble address be pre-
sented to her Majesty, praying for a return of the pro-
vision, if any, made by law otherwise, in her Majesty's
different colonial possessions, for destitute persons of
the following classes :-Ist. Widows and fatherless
children, or deserted women and children ; 2d. Old and
infirm persons ; 3d. Persons diseased in body and mind.
Also, a statement, so far as the same can be given, of
the actual condition of such several classes of persons in
each of the said colonial possessions.
Mr. WAKLEY, pursuant to notice he had given, pre-
sented petitions from members of the Royal College of
Surgeons of England, residing in Manchester, Leeds,
Tewkesbury, Peterborough, Chichester, Croydon, the
county of Stafford, Sheffield, Tunbridge Wells, Lewes,
Sidmouth, Birkenhead, the county of Chester, Pen-
rith, Ilfracombe, Christchurch, Brackley, Conway,
Coggeshall, Stratford, Church Stretton, Bleanavon,
Copford, Moreton-in-Marsh, Dedham, East Bergholt
Brecon, Great Grimsby, Northleech, Petersfield, Stam-
ford, Newhaven, Leominster, Whitchurch, Bampton,
Hereford, Weobly, Honiton, Dulverton, Heckington, St.
Marylebone, also from the Chairman and Honorary Se-
cretaries of the Committee of Surgeons in London, and,
also, from the Medical Association of the county of
Shropshire. All praying for the postponement or re-
jection of the Physic and Surgery Bill, and opposing the
separate incorporation of the general practitioners, also
praying for inquiry into the government of the Royal
College of Surgeons of
.England, and for the enfran-
chisement of the members in that institution.

An HoN. MEMBER—The Charitable Trusts Bill.

Sir R. PEEL—That certainly should be protracted till
next session. They did not wish to postpone it from
any doubt entertained on the part of her Majesty's
Government of the great importance of the Bill, but
because it would be likely to least to a very long discus-
sion. He was not aware that there was any other mea-
sures of any great importance.
An Hos'. MEMBER—Ecclesiastical Courts Bill.
Sir ROBERT PEEL—That is a Bill of which the
Noble Lord opposite (Lord John Russell) had charge.
As he supported a Bill of similar provisions on a former
occasion, he would be inclined to vote for it second read-
ing now. He founel it necessary ,nevertheless, that it
should be postponed. If the Noble Lord called upon
him to enter into an engagement that her Majesty's Go-
vernment would give the measure its support next
session, he would decline to commit the Government
to any support of the Bill at any time.
Mr. 11. BERKELEY—What is to be done with the
Small Debts' Bill ?
Sir ROBERT PEEL—With regard to that Bill, we
do propose to proceed with it. I regard that Bill of so
much importance to the working and middle classes, that
I think it highly desirable we should pass it in the pre-
sent session—(Hear, hear)—and I have no doubt
we shall be able to do so—(Hear, hear)—by assigning
to it the morning sittings.— (Hear.) With regard to
the consolidation of the Customs Acts, the House is
aware that we have lately made important changes in
the customs and revenue laws ; but there has
been no consolidation of these Acts since thir-
teen years ago. But we are now prepared to
propose that consolidation, and it will be a great advan-
tage to the commercial body to have all the important
provisions severally set forth in one Act. If, however, it
should be proposed to make any important change in the
customs and revenue laws, I think it would be impossible
to get through the Act which I propose before the end of
the session.—(Hear.) But if we be allowed to conso-
lidate the existing Acts into one Bill, without substan-
tially interfering with the enactments as they at present
stand, we shall be able to give ample notice of any
change we may find necessary, and yet to get through
the Bill in sufficient time. _ _ _

Y.
An HoN. MEMBER asked what was intended to be
done with the Irish Lunacy Bill.
Sir R. PEEL's answer was not heard in the gallery,
but it was followed by some laughter in the House.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that the Ecclesiastical
Courts Bill was prepared by his Honourable Friend the
Member for Devon, who (from the state of his health
as we understood) would not take part in the further
discussion this session. But if he thought that he could
secure a sufficient number of days, he would himself—
however unfit he might be—proceed with the Bill. In
1842 a similar Bill was brought in by her Majesty's Go-
vernment, and the House assented to the principle, and
passed the second reading. If, as it appeared, he could not
carry the Bill this session, he hoped that next year
he would receive from her Majesty's Government the
same assistance which in a similar situation he had given

PORTSMOUTH (ATMOSPHERIC
DIRECT RAILWAY.
On Saturday a meeting of the shareholders in the
Portsmouth Direct (Atmospheric) Railway was held in
the City of London Tavern, for the purpose of taking
into consideration what steps ought to be taken in con-
sequence of the late favourable decision of the Commit-
tee of the House of Commons.
R. Wilkinson, Esq., Chairman of the Croydon Com-
pany, was called to the chair.
The CHAIRMAN briefly stated the circumstances under
which the meeting bad assemb'ed. They were all aware
of the favourable decision which the Select Committee
of the House of Commons had given in reference to the
Portsmouth Direct Line. At their last meeting, which
was immediately after the adverse decision of the Board
of Trade, it had been agreed to carry the question to
Parliament ; but the directors came under a pledge in
compliance with the wishes of the meeting, that
the expenses should not exceed ten shillings per
share. Owing to the protracted and arduous
contest which the promoters of the Ports-
mouth scheme had to encounter from the London and
South-Western and the London and Brighton, the ex-
penses had already exceeded the limit of ten shillings
per share ; and as they were threatened with a further
opposition in the House of Lords, the Directors now
came to ask the Shareholders to withdraw the limit of
ten shillings, and place the whole of the deposit of
21. 10s. per share at their disposal. This was the more
necessary, as their opponents would measure the strength
of the Portsmouth Company by the amount of their re-
sources. Two resolutions, the one withdrawing the
limit of ten shillings, and the other placing the whole of
the deposits at the disposal of the Directors, were then
put and carried without a dissentient voice.
In answer to a question from a Shareholder, Mr.
CUBITT stated that he fully expected that five miles of the
atmospheric railway, from the Dartmouth Arms to
Epsom, would be opened at the end of the present
month, or at the very latest in the first week of August.
It was his intention, if it met with the concurrence of
the Directors, to open the line in the first instance
gratuitously, for the purposes of experiment before open-
ing it to the public. His object in this wasto see if any
improvement could be made in the working.
In answer to a question from the CHAIRMAN,
Mr. CUBITT, stated that in laying down the line he had
made various improvements on the Kingsland and
I)alkey line, and he had no doubt that the atmospheric
principle was susceptible of still further improvement.
All great discoveries underwent great improvements
after they were first made known.
The CHAIRMAN begged to take that opportunity of
stating that so far from the faith of the Directors being
shaken in the .atmospheric principle, it was stronger
,han ever.

•
In answer to a question put by a SHAREHOLDER,
Mr. CUBITT made a similar observation. The five miles
to be opened at the end of this month, or in the begin-
ning of August, would completely test the applicability
of the atmospheric principle, for it so happened that they
would have, in that five miles, an opportunity of meeting
and answering every objection and supposed difficulty in
atmospheric traction, started in the recent Committees
in the House of Commons.
A vote of thanks was then given to the Chairman,
after which the meeting seperated.

DWARKANATH TAGORE.
(Abridged from the English Gentleman.)
Dwarkanath Tagore is one of the most remarkable
men of the day. Boasting no high descent—forming no
link in that lengthened chain of oriental royalty, Dwar-
kanath Tagore has attained his present position solely
by the exercise of those qualities which are held in the
greatest reverence by English gentlemen. Gifted by
nature with acute perceptions and generous 'impulses,
he saw, at an early age, the great necessities of his
country, and at once applied himself to their redress.
The large fortune he had inherited, and the success
which attended his commercial speculations (for he is a
merchant and a landowner), supplied him with the
means of carrying out his views. He courted European
society, and his gentle disposition and bland manners
secured him a becoming reception. Rammohun Roy
came to England—we believe at Dwarkanath's charge—to
teach us there was mind in India, and to insist upon a
recognition of its force.
This great step was well followed up. Dwarkanath
founded schools, largely contributed to charitable esta-
blishments—supported institutions for the advancement
of the human intellect, and encouraged, by his purse,
his arguments, and his example, each enterprise that
promised to benefit society at large. Calcutta—the seat
of the Supreme Government—soon became proud of
him, solicitous of his counsel, and sensible of his vast
usefulness. No committee was considered perfect unless
Dwarkanath was a member ; and at length Government
deemed that even the bench of magistrates was incom-
plete until it was adorned by Dwarkanath's intelligence,
local knowledge, perfect independence, and exalted
sense of justice. And all his noble efforts to acquire
public eminence were accompanied by a diffusion of
private charity so extensive, that we believe
even English benevolence, active as it is in many hun-
dred instances, would stare at the computation. If an
Englishman arrived unfriended in India, and showed
a disposition to labour in honourable enterprises, even
for his own good only, Dwarkanath's purse-strings
were opened to assist him. If an Englishman, after
much anxious toil, had failed in his undertakings, Dwar-
kanath Tagore's hand was stretched forth to relieve him.
His house was the resort of all that was eminent for rank,
talent, and character ; end when he left India for Eng-
land four years ago, his absence left
his a blank that all the
natives who had been inoculated by example could
not fill up.
Such, in brief, is the catalogue of Dwarkanath Ta-
gore's merits ;—it cannot be too widely diffused. Others
of his nation may claim to be honoured for signal iso-
lated services in the east, but to him alone belongs the
homage due to the man who has taught India that
England is not merely great in arms, and inspired
England with juster notions, than she once possessed, of
what is due to her Eastern possessions.

The area of Ireland is 12,819,432 Irish acres. The
total number of farms is 685,302, and of these 306,915 are unde

five acres.

MONUMENT TO GENERAL NOTT.—Sir Robert Peel
has communicated to the Hon. Colonel Trevor the de-
sire of her Majesty to subscribe the munificent sum of
2101. to the fund for the erection of a monument to the
late gallant and able General—an ornament to the Prin-
cipality—Sir William Nott, G.C.B. With this addition,
the sum already collected approaches 1,000/,—Shrews-
bury Chronicle,