The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-01-29 00:00:00

"Fascinate sages

We perceive that Mr. Hoskins• has- consented to play Peter
Spyke, in the " Loan of a Lover." There will be doubtless
an excellent house.

LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY.

The annual general meeting of this company took place on
Wednesday, at the Cotton Sales-room, in the Exchange-
buildings. Charles Lawrence, Esq., chairman of the board
of directors, presided.
The report of the directors, and the accounts of the receipts
and disbursements, were read. These shewed, notwithstand-
ing the diminution of traffic and travelling, owing to the stag-
nation of trade and other causes adverted to in the report, a
considerable increase over the nett proceeds of the corre-
sponding period of last year. They were approved of by the
meeting.
A dividend at the rate of £5 per cent. was made for the
half year ending 31st December last; and a first instalment,
at the rate of £2 per share upon the £lOO shares, and of 4s.
per share upon the original quarter shares, being a portion
of the interest to which those shares (only) are entitled, was
likewise ordered to be paid to the proprietors of those shares
out of the surplus fund.
The attention of the meeting was then called by Mr.
Alston and Mr. Coglan to the following paragraph in the
report :
" The last circumstance which the directors will mention,
as having diminished to some extent the travelling by rail-
way, is the temporary want of confidence in the security of
that mode of conveyance. The directors deeply regret the
railway accidents which have occasioned this apprehension
in the public mind. In the sudden developement and ex-
tension of this new mode of locomotion—in the marvellous
transition from a speed of ten miles to that of thirty miles an
hour—though we may regret, perhaps we can hardly wonder,
that newly-opened lines have not been altogether exempt
from accidents. The earnest attention of railway manage-
ments "is turned to the consideration of the best means of
making raiiway conveyance as pre-eminently safe, as it is
decidedly cheap and expeditious ; and the directors have the
fullest confidence in the accomplishment of this great object,
if indeed, taking a fair comparison, it be not already attained.
It is a circumstance worthy of remark and congratulation,
that the frequency of accidents seems to be in no way con-
nected with the increase of traffic on any railway ; those
lines where the traffic is the largest in the kingdom having
been for along time almost free from these casualties. In
the last twelve Months, one million and fifty-two thousand
passengers have been conveyed on the Liverpool and Man-
chester Line, with but one accident, which befel a passenger
who recklessly jumped out of a second-class carriage when
at full speed, to save a few miles' walking from the next
stopping-place. It would seem that the necessity for con-
stant vigilance and unremitting care on the part of the en-
ginemen, policemen, &c., owing to the almost continuous
movement of a large traffic, produces as its consequence that
habit of vigilance, and that intuitive caution, on which the
security of railway travelling must at all times materially
depend. Connected with this subject, the directors are
happy to referlo the'General Railway Conference which was
held at Birmingham, on Tuesday the 19th instant, the object
of which was to consider and devise the means of increased
safety to railway travelling. The resolutions passed at the
conference have appeared in the public papers, and copies of
the proceedings may be obtained at the Treasurer's office by
proprietors feeling an interest in the subject."
The thanks of the proprietors were unanimously voted to the
directors, and to their managers and assistants, for their
vigilant and skilful management of the line, and for their
care and unrereitting attention in these respects.
Charles Lawrence, Hardman Earle, Thomas Sands, and
John Cropper, jun., Esqrs., (nominated by the proprietors,)
and James Loch, Esq., (nominated by the Duke of Suther-
land,) being,the five directors going out of office by rotation,
the first four gentlemen above-named were unanimously re-
elected directors.
It appears from the statement of accounts submitted to
the meeting, that the receipts for the half-year ending Dec.
31, 1840, were as following :—from the coaching depart-
ment, X 81,713. 3s. 2d.; from the carriage of merchandise,
£54,901. 4s. 10d.; and from the carriage of coal, £2709. Os. 7d.;
making a total of £139,323. Ss. 7d. The expenditure for the
same period amounted to £68,694. 75.; leaving a nett profit
of £70,629. ls. 7d.

BRITISH INDIA SUGAR COMPANY.—We shall soon see
this company before Parliament with its bill of incorpora-
tion. The shares, we hear, are to be allotted in a few days.
A more hopeful and profitable project was never yet launched
as a joint stock company. The profits for many years can-
not be less than from 50 to 70 per cent., and there is little
doubt the shares will be at a high premium shortly after
their allotment.—City Chronicle and Tea Dealers' Journal.
THE VICARAGE OF NEWCASTLE.—It is with feelings of
deep regret and disappointment that we announce that the
Rev. George Townsend has decided, after much hesitation,
and for reasons of paramount consideration, not to accept
the pastoral charge of this large parish, which was placed at
his disposal in the most handsome manner by the patron of
the living, the Lord Bishop of Carlisle. At the period of
our announcement on the subject last week there seemed to
be
Vicar
sort of doubt that the worthy Prebendary was actually
far ars of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and such indeed he was as
feel that they atron was concerned. The parishioners at large
.have great reason to deplore the determination
of Our excellent and most accomplished neighbour, for they
consider that he, above most men, is eminently qualified to
grace society in' ur
ur town, and, what is of far higher import,
gr use of the Church.--New-