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

JOSEPH ARMITAGE

"The Directors trust the above agreement will, if sanc-
tioned by the Shareholders, effect all those important objects
to which the Directors have alluded in this report.
"It will be observed that the agreement was entered into
under an impression, on the part of the Directors, that
under the powers of the Act, an immediate amalgamation
with the Manchester and Leeds Company might take place.
Doubts having arisen as to the ability of this Company to
proceed under the powers of the Act, to an amalgamation
with the Manchester and Leeds Company, until an Act of
Parliament has been obtained, it will be necessary for the
Shareholders, if they approve the arrangement, to pass a re•
solution enabling the Directors to carry out the agreement by
Act of Parliament, or in such other manner as they may be
advised to be necessary.
" The Directors have fcr a considerable time past contem-
plated the making an extension from a point on- the line
near Hozins, proceeding by or near to Barnsley, and so to
the Midlands Railway, at such point as shall appear most de-
sirable. They have themselves personally inspected the
country, with a view to determine the moat eligible line,
and they have also had plans and surveys taken.. An ex-
tension in this direction would very considerably conduce to
the interests of this railway, as well as of the- town and
neighbourhood of Huddersfield. The propOsed line will
accommodate Clayton West, and will be the direct line to
the Midlands. It will open out the Silkstone and Barnsley
coal-fields, pass through or near to the important town of
Barnsley, and will be the means of access to the great
mineral di:•tricts lying between Huddersfield and Sheffield,
and the Midlands.

" It haying become necessary to apply for an Act of Par-
liament to carry out the amalgamation, it• is also necessary
that this company should on its own account provide for
obtaining `the extunison, subject to such arrangements as
may hereafter he made with. the Manchester and Leeds,
Company. The directors are now in course of negotiation
with the Manchester and Leeds Company, who concur in the
propriety of the measure with reference to this branch.
" In conclusion, the directors would hope that their endea-
vours on the behalf of the Company may meet with the ap-
probation of the shareholders; and they trust that the ar-
rangements to which they now ask their sanction will tend
very greatly to the interests, not only of the shareholders,
but of the town and neighbourhood of Huddersfield."
The CHAIRMAN then proposed, for the adoption of the
meeting, a resolution confirming the agreement with the
Manchester and Leeds Company.
JOSEPH BROOK, Esq., seconded the resolution.
Dr. ALEXANDER moved an amendment to the resolution.
The grounds upon which he felt it his duty to bring forward
such an amendment were, first, the advantageous position
which this Company held as an independent concern.; and,
second, because such an arrangement would preclude any
possible agreement with the various projected companies
north and south, which might be advantageous to it. He
more especially alluded to the Sheffield and Manchester, and
he must say that a proposition like this came from this
Company with only a bad grace (when they considered the
great services that Company had rendered to the Huddersfield
and Sheffield both in Parliament and otherwise). He con-
cluded by proposing his amendment, which was in the
following terms:—" That in consideration of the very ad-
vantageous position which this Company holds per se as an
independent line, and in consideration likewise of the pro-
bable arrangements—better calculated to the ultimate
success of this undertaking—either with the Sheffield and
Manchester Railway Company on the south, or the Keighley.
Halifax, and Huddersfield Junction Railway Company on
the north, or other projected lines in these directions, it is
undesirable to annex this Company, on the terms specified,
with the Manchester and Leeds Company.
In answer to a question from Mr. John Clay, C. 11. JONES,
Esq., one of the Directors, said—According to the new plan,
on and after the Parliamentary session of 1846, this Com-
pany would participate in all subsequent extensions of the
Manchester and Leeds. Company. When the Directors en-
tered into this arrangement, they did not know what the
contemplated extension to be made by this Company would
result in ; therefore they thought it desirable to confine
themselves to as simple an arrangement as possible, in order
that there might be no future cavil. If any extension should
be contemplated hereafter, they were to be matters of future
negotiation ; the object of the Directors had simply been to
sell their line to the best advantage.
The CHAIRMAN said, the shareholders must bear in mind
.that the Directors had secured them four per cent. upon the
'calls' until the opening of the line, which was a matter that
the Manchester and Leeds Company greatly objected to at
the time.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. C. H. JONES said. the real effect of the agreement
was that this Company sold their line to the Manchester and
Leeds Company, for as many of their shares as amounted to
the same stock in quantity as this Company now possessed.
They sold the line with all their interests, having an under-
standing that on all calls made upon the proprietors from the
present time to the opening of the line, four per cent. would
be charged, which four per cent. would be chargeable to the
capital ; but of course the whole capital would become Man-
chester and Leeds stock.

Mr. JosErn BROOK further explained, that if in making
the line there should be any excess of expenditure, it would
have to be paid by the Manchester Company. The four per
cent. on the calls would also be paid out of the amalgamated
fund. The interest of the Huddersfield and Sheffield share-
holders in the Manchester and Leeds line would be equal to
the amount of capital raised for the construction of their line.
Mr. JOHN BROOKE said, he supposed the Huddersfield and
Sheffield Company could not themselves make any exten-
sions if the amalgamation were confirmed?
The CHAIRMAN—Not without the consent of the Manches-
ter and Leeds Company.
Mr. J. BROOKE inquired if it was probable the Manchester
end Leeds Company would apply to Parliament next session
for any extensions from the Huddersfield and Sheffield line.
He asked this because it appeared to him that if that Com-
pany applied in the next session they might derive the ad-
vantage from so doing, whereas if they deferred it until
another session, this (the Huddersfield and Sheffield Com-
pany) might derive the advantage which might arise from
an earlier application.
Mr. C. IL JONES explained. The Directors had seen the
difficulty they were in, inasmuch as it was uncertain whether,ar
the agreement could be carried out without an Act of I •
!lament, and they had deemed it prudent, tinder theser tor
cir-
cumstances, to consult the Manchester and Leeds Directors
about
itmhipsoerxtatnecne,sioannd which
to ascertain ,hinn
the to
eventbe ot son:
the amalgamation not going on, or not. b e.iwg sanctioned by
Parliament. it should not be understood that this extension
a was
rtain felt
whether,by t
belonged to the Huddersfield and Sheffield Company, and The Manchester such was the present understandrng. an..
Leeds Company Could not, therefore, go for this extension
1 unless the amalgamation took place.
Mr. J. BROOKS asked what proportion the capital to be
raised for the extension would bear to the original capital of
the Company.
The CHAIRMAN—At a rough estimate, from 320,000/. to
350,000/. would be required for the extension. The original
capital was about 560,0001.
In answer to another question,
Mr. J. BROOK said that in the event of the amalgamation
failing to be ratified, then the extension would become the
property of this Company, and the expenses of the appli-
cation to Parliament would have to be defrayed by this
Company.
Mr. CLAY, solicitor' inquired whether, supposing the amal-
gamation was carried out, this or the Manchester and Leeds
Company would find the capital for the extensions?
Mr. C. 11. JONES t lid; if the amalgamation was completed,
all extensions would be made by the Manchester and Leeds
Company, and the Huddersfield and Sheffield proprietors
would have a proportionate benefit in them with the other
Manchester and Leeds shareh( 1 lers.

The amendment fell to the ground without a seconder, ar.d
the original resolution was put and carriee.
Resolutions were then adopted authorising the Directors
to apply to Parliament for powers to carry out the amalga-
mation, and approving of an extension from the Hudders-
&it and Sheffield line at Hozens to a point on the Midland
line nearßarnsley, and authorising the Directors to proceed
to Parliament um. session for powers to make it. „,

A vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman and
Directors,
HULL, SHEFFIELD, AND MIDLAND DIRECT.

_. • •
s uinndfleUretankt lianlg,nwleaest i o
heldf
atthetheProhoYtiesii,onNaotrinCo2.-
miAttelearigen tahni
• ton, on Friday, to receive reports from the engineer and sur-
veyor, and on other business.
ANDREW TURTON PETERSON Esq., Managing Director of
the Shrewsbury and Hereford and Wakefield and Harro-
gate Railway, was called to the chair. He remarked that it
was scarcely necessary for him to say much on the merits of
the line, forit would be evident to all, that a line having at
one end a large manufacturing town, with a population of
110,000 inhabitants, and at the other the third port in the
kingdom, could not fail to have a traffic which would prove
highly remunerative.
- EDWARD Mcruateux, Esq., explained the csurse of the
line. Its length would be about thirty-two miles, and as
far as Conisborough, it ran in nearly as straight a line as
could be drawn on the map, and was, in fact, a•surface line
throughout the whole of that distance. The only unusual
feature in the undertaking was the tunnel under the Ouse, a
work, apparently, of great magnitude, but on a careful
examination, it turned out to be a work neither so difficult
nor so expensive as it at first appeared. Mr. Billington, The
engineer, had obtained sect.ior a by actual boring, to the
depth of sixty feet ; from which it appeared that the :Strata,
after the first few feet, consisted of layers of red and blue clay.
The clay formed a natural shield to the tunnel, and was the
best:possible soil for such an operation. The line as a whole
was a most easy and inexpensive one, with the exception of
the tunnel. From accurate and careful surveys, borings, and
estimates, so confirmed was the engineer of the easy nature
ef the whole line, and the facility of constructing the Willie%
as to state it as his deliberate opinieu that the capital con-
templated would be much more than was necessary for the
completion of the undertaking. No residential or orna-
mental property was iuterfered with, and by nearly all the
landowners along the line the undertaking was- most fa-
vourable viewed.
Mr. Wir.aoN said, he was pretty extensively engaged in
the Swedish iron trade at. Hull, a trade of considerable
magnitude and imeortariee at that post. When the Hull
and Selby Railway was first opened, it was net centenr-
p!atral that iron or wood could have been taken by railway
so effectuallv to compete with the water carriage: The
result proved that opinion to be very erroneous. Before the
hull and Se!bv Railway was opened, the freight of iron
from Hull to Sheffield by water was 13s. 6d. per ton. It was
never contemplated that the railway would have interfered
with the water cenveyance at that rate. However, the
directors determined to bring the traffic OR the railway, and
Commenced a determined competition with the. water car-
riage. By this opposition the freight was reduced for a tune
from 13s. 6d. per ton by water to Os. 6d. per ton by land, and
the result was, that notwithstanding the very circuitous route
of railway communication from Hull to Sheffield, iron was
now almost altogether carried by railway at from Bs. to 10s.
per ton, while, as he bad already said, by water it cost 13s. 6d.
per ton. The iron traffic was very great, and no one could
doubt that by the direct communication which the proposed
line effected from • Hull to Sheffield it would come upon this
line. He was quite certain that since the month of June last
the quantity of iron taken by railway to Sheffield was 10,000
tons.

Mr. WAITE (of Doncaster) spoke as to the extensive wa-
ter traffic in the vicinity of Doncaster. He had no doubt
that if the proposed line was obtained, it would, in conjunc-
t tion with the South Yorkshire Coal Railway, secure an ex-
tent of traffic which it was almost impossible to foretel. The
coal which must be carried on the line would be immense;
many coal-fields, now sealed, would be opened, and all knew
that in the Valley of the Don, all round Silkstone, Wore..
borough, &c., the coal mines were almost inexhaustible. In
connexion with other lines existing or projected, the Hull,
Sheffield, and Midland, would being Doncaster into much
closer and more direct communication with all parts of the
country, especially with Hull, Manchester, Liverpool, Bir-
mingham, and London.
Mr. CHAMBERS (of Doncaster) proved that the corn traffic
along the line would be great. The freight at present was
Is. 2d. a quarter. Judging by the rates on other railways,
that would be reduced to Bd. or lOd. a quarter.
Resolutions for forming the Company, confirming its ca-
pital, appointing solicitors, engineers, &c , were adopted.
Reports were presented from the surveyors, and others.
They were of a favourable character, and stated that the
whole of the surveys were completed. It appeared that the
severest gradient on the line was at the tunnel under the
Ouse, and that was one in 108. _

Several congratulatory addresses were delivered, and the
proceedings were brought to a close by the usual complimmt
to the chairman.

NEW SCHEMES.

Last week was unusually unproductive of new railway pro-
jects. The following appear to be the.few that have been
ushered into the world in spite of the extreme pressure which
has lately been perceptible on the money market
Dm WEsTErtxt.—A public meeting of the inhabitan-s
of Wells, was held on Thursday, the . Mayor presiding, for
the purpose of taking into consideration the various lines
of railway proposed for the accommodation of that city and
its neighbourhood. After the merits of the many competing
schemes had been strongly advocated by their respective
supporters, and considered by the meeting, it was- resolved
by a large majority, that the Direct. Western Railway offered
more advantages to that city and its neighbourhood, both as
regarded local accomodation and communication with the
metropolis, than any other line, and the:meeting pledged
themselves to give to that Company their fullest support and
co-operation.
-WELSH SOUTH MIDLAND.— TIIC shares in the Welsh
South Midland, or Chepstow, Forest of Dean, and Glouces-
ter Junction Extension, were allotted on Saturday. The
Committee state that they. delayed issuing the letters of
allotment in this undertaking, until they were perfectly satis-
fied_ that the surveys, &e., would be perfected in time to
proceed with their Bill in the ensuing session. Mr. Gravatt,
their engineer, had now sesured them that the plans, sec-
tions, and books of reference, would be ready to be deposited
according to the Standing Orders of Parliament by the 30th

instant.
Gnavr KENT ATMOSPIIEMC.—TiIe Committee of Manage-
ment have issued a notice to the shareholders, infort»irg them
t It.it in consequence of the non-receipt of letters of-allotment
within the time specified for payment, they have extended
the time for paying the deposits until the 17th inst. Up to
this date upwards of 190,0001. have been received.—Steam
Times.

FALmotan, Axn rENZANCE.—The surveys upon
this line of railway are in a very tii'ward state. The plans
and sections will be duly deposited with the proper authori-
ties before the :Wth instant, and every step will be taken to
ensure an application in' the ensuing session of Parliament
for an Act of Incorporation. The proof that• this line is
much needed is, that the Corporations of the towns through
which it passes, and the entire of the landowners in its route,
are in favour of- the undertaking. At present. all the
immense productions of the mines and granite quarries
are transmitted to the ports over the uneven turnpike
roads in carts, thereby enhancing the price of articles in the
public markets. This railway, when completed, will effect
a great reduction in the cost of transit, and will enable new
ground to be opened which at present is prevented being
worked by the enormous charge for carriage.—Railway
Herald.

SOUTH WESTERN.—henry Charles Lacy, Esq. (the pro-
moter of the Manchester, Southampton, and Poole Railway),
has been invited to join the direction of the London and
South Western Company, to which that gentleman having
assented, a resolution to that effect was passed at a full board
of the London and South Western Directors, held at Yme-
elms on Friday.
REGENT'S CANAL—The allotment letters in this line were
issued on Saturday, and contained an announcement which
might be imitiated by other new Companies with credit to
themselves and to the comfort of the public, namely, " that
the committee guarantee the return of the deposit, less a sum
not exceeding 7s. 6d. per share, should the application to
Parliament not succeed in the ensuing session."—Railway
Examiner.

The Whitby, Pickering, and Great North of England
Junction have resolved on throwing off a branch from the
main line at Molton.

WORCESTER, HEREFORD, Ross, AND GLOUCESTER, AND
GREAT EASTERN AND WESTERN.—The Great Eastern and
Western Company have come to the determination of aban-
doning the line between Worcester and Hereford, and as an
equivalent for this surrender, they are to have an interest in
the Worcester, Hereford, Ross, and Gloucester line. This
arrangement, it is confidently anticipated, will be mutually
advantageous. The line from Hereford to Merthyr Tydvi),
to join the Vale of Neath, is still in the hands of the Great
Eastern and Western : and it is said they are to have the
support of the Great Western Company.
YORK AND BRADFORD.—This line is intended to take as
direct u course as possible from Bradford to the city of York,
which can be accomplished by proceeding by the way of
Shipley, and passing near to Baildon, Esholt, Guiseley,
Yeadon, Otley, Poole, and Arthington, and there crossing
the Leeds and Thirsk Railway, and thence continued in au
easterly direction via Harewood Bridge, Collingham, Linton
to Wetherby, where it will become connected with such rail-
way from Leeds and Wetherby to York as may be sanctioned
by Parliament during the ensuing session, thereby placing
the important trading towns of Leeds and Bradford on an
equal footing with the city of York and the North of Eng-
land, as well as forming the most direct chain of communica-
tion with the Manchester and Leeds, Manchester and Liver-
pool, and Huddersfield Canal Railways, by means of the
West Riding Union and other projected railways, to the
important town of Bradford. The present route from Brad-
ford to York, eSi Leeds, is about 45 miles, and by the Pro-
posed line the distance will be about 83 miles, thus reducing
the distance 12 miles. The project, it is said, interferes with
no vested interests. Messrs. Butterfield and Piccup, of Brad-
ford, are the solicitors of the Company.
per r," Se altihsbe
MANcIIESTER AND SOUTHAMInroy ExTENSION,—The oh
uliyain and
df
ject of this railway is to afford local accommodation to the large
population lying between Droitwich, Stourbridge, and Wol-
verhampton,Poole on the one hand, and between Manchester and South-
di
ampton on the other. The line will commence by a junction
rect communicationantitlatthe
between sam e time
ll antcohalmst
with the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway, near Droit-
wich, and passing by the Salt Works at that place, and
through or near the towns of Bromsgrove and Stourbridge,
will fall into the intended grand contral station at Wolver-
hampton, whence run connecting lines with all parts of the
kingdom. The length of the line will be about twenty-four
miles. Capital 800,0001., in 40,000 shares.
LEEDS, MIDLAND, AND LINCOLNSHIRE JUNCTION.—This
line is intended to commence at Swinton, on the Midland
Railway, and terminate at Retford by a junction with
the London and York and Sheffield and Lincoln Railways.
By the former access is obtained in the shortest time
to
ewark, Grantham, Nottingham. Peterborough, and London ;
and by the latter, the most direct road is secured from Leeds
and the neighbourhood to Gainsborough, Lincoln, Horncastle,
SPiist).Y, Wainfleet, Boston, Spalding, &c. It will 'accommo-
date not only its own locality, but will also reduce the dis-
tance between Leeds and the metropolis from 205 to about
180 miles, or a saving of 25 miles. The distance between
London and the other greatseats of the woollen trade, Dews-
bury, Bradford, Huddersfield, &c., will also be lessened full
30 miles in each instance. Capital 500,000'., in 2,500 shares.
SHOREHAM AND CHICHESTER.—The line from Shoreham
to Chichester is rapidly approaching completion. The rails
are laid down to within half a mile of the city, and a number
of stonemasons are busily employed in the works for the ter-
minus and other parts of the line.
BRISTOL AND EXETER RAILWAY COMPANY.—From an ac-
cidental omission in our report of the proceedings of this
Company at Bristol, on Friday, a slight confusion appears in
the reading. The last sentence should have run thus—" The
motion for the non-confirmation of the agreement was carried
by an overwhelming majority."
SOUTH-EASTERN.—We understand that the Directors of
at the e
theSouth-Eastern
option
of
the wa y
Cominyhave resolved to place
Postmaster-General the opportunity of
sending mail bags, by every one of their trains, without
making any additional charge for the facilities given...—
Railway Standard.
EASTERN COUNTIES.—Mr. Bulkeley has resigned the Se-
cretaryship of the Eastern Counties Railway. Mr. Bulkeley's
courteous manners had deservedly secured for him a " host
Record.
of
Nfrioernrds.rx'a'—nati,iluß'alYEMlNGHAM, AND COVENTRY JUNCTION.
The shares in this Company have just been allotted. Mt.
Charles Fox, the consulting engineer, has addressed a letter
to the Committee of Management, in which he states that
the survey of the line is in a state of great forwardness, sad
that he will be completely prepared to comply- with the