The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-11-26 00:00:00

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rs were receives

y their Frehel

'1 colleagues

ith perfect frankness.' Tb
)d thorough investigation, without any apparent reserve, or
ly manifestation of doubt, that men of business all liked,

.dmitted into that Close

quite obvious that there had been certain matters upon
which they; with there notions of bu.:incss, and with their
views formed as they were in a commercial city, differed from
their French colleagues. They stated those differences ;
they were heard with great frankness and kindness ;
they left them, the French directors having submitted to

some changes in reference to those matters—the details of
which it would be scarcely usual for him to explain ; and he
believed he could very safely say, that they left them under a
conviction, that in those things the English directors were
right. Every thing was now arranged to their satisfaction.
The whole of the shares had stood now fully subscribed for
in Paris at par ; and there was not an unappropriated share
connected with the concern. The English directors had had

an opportunity of witnessing that there was a general punc-
tuality in the payment of calls. Generally the shares there
were very much divided; it was an unusual thing for an in-
dividual to hold a very large number ; and he believed, as far
as his observation, and the information he could collect,
served him, he believed he migkt safely say that the capital
subscribed in France was subscribed by a class that was
likely to pay the calls, and that they irright be considered as
exceedingly well held. That was the general report which he
received, and every thing he had, an opportunity of observing
justified that opinion. With regard to the personal diligence
of their French colleagues, he could assure the meeting that
they would be an example to English directors, for they did
not attend simply once a week, or once a month, but they
considered it their daily business. Go at almost what
time of day they (the English directors) always found
some of their colleagues in the office. (Hear, hear.)
They always found them attending to some business
which had been apportioned to them ; and upon the
days of meeting, which were twice a week, he did
not remember that there was one absent, unless it
was the chairman, who was a gentleman of advanced years
and who, from his advanced age and increasing infirmities,
was scarcely capable of attending to any business. With
that exception—and he (Sir John Easthope) understood he
had withdrawn mach from business engagements, they found
zeal and earnestness upon the part of every member of the
French board. He had before stated that there was, what was
of infinitely more importance to men of business than agree-
able manners ; there was that perfect sincerity, that becoming
frankness, that great anxiety, that punctuality, diligence, and
faithfulness in the discharge of their duties which gave the
English directors a good opinion of the intentions of the in-
dividuals with whom they were embarked—because, after all,
if they were associated with persons of light character and
defective. morals, it must be manifest that all the surpervision
and all the checks they could interpose would be:unavailing
for the purpose of practical security. These gentlemen were
identified with the English shareholders in interest; and
they were men of high character in France. They had iden-
tified their character with this concern, and he believed they
had before them a concern which held out not only very
ample profit in return for the capital embarked in it, but he
believed they were engaged in a concern that in some degree
promised a higher and more excellent end than that of mere
gain. He believed that this concern would tend to establish
that good opinion between the two countries, the natural
result of which was, not only to bring the labourers of the
two countries into contact but into harmony, by promoting
a connection of their mutual interest. (Hear.) It would
tend to display skill in that simple and practical form by
which the people of the two countries would form a better
opinion of each. He believed it would have still higher
ramifications ; that it would teach the two countries that
their happiness, their power, and the good which both should
consult and aim at, was to be attained by the promotion of
their mutual interests; that it would diffuse the sentiment
that more was to be gotten by advancing that which would
advance the good of both, than by rival interests pursued by
narrow feelings, and advocated by doubtful means. (Hear,
hear.) He knew that the enlightened man who was at the
head of the administration of the foreign affairs of France
had very much in view, in the encouragement which lie gave
to this concern, that it would tend to establish amicable re-
lations between the two countries. He knew that that sen-
timent proved his anxiety for its support and prosperity.
He told the meeting frankly, that this was one of the leading
considerations which had induced him (Sir John Easthope)
to engage in it. He did not affect to be indifferent to com-
mercial returns, being, as he was, sprung from commerce ;
but he did tell them—and his friends who were present could
tell them the same—that being about to retire from business
engagements, he was anxious not to engage in anything fur-
ther. He was determined' by the circumstance of this rail-
way tending to advance the interests of another railway with
which he was connected, but most of all by the conviction
that it would tend to advance the great, high, and permanent
interests of both countries, by advancing the prosperity of
`each. (Hear, hear.) With that sentiment of this concern,
he embarked in it. The way in which it had been carried
on, and the confidence in it shewn by English proprietors,
who, in times of difficulty and embarrassment, submitted
to the danger of paying their money, because they had made
an engagement—(hear, hear); (for it would be within the
recollection of gentlemen present that when they had to make
their first payment there was an unhappy collision between
the two countries upon points it would be unnecessary for
him to dilate upon, but they considered they had made an
engagement, and therefore like English men of business and
British merchants, they resolved to fulfil those engagements)
—had had a happy influence upon the French. (Hear.)
The skill carried into the concern, the comparative economy,
the great exertion, indeed all; he elements by which it would
be accomplished for a smaller sum of money, in a smaller
space of time than had been customary, would, he was con-
vinced, be a very hap?y means of establishing a good feeling,
and most cordially did he wish it should be a permanent
feeling, between the country of France and that of Great
Britain. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN said if there was in the country one per-
son more capable than another of knowing and appreciating
the value of traffic, it was his friend Mr. Chaplin. lie had
been over the line ; and he believed that Mr. Chaplin would
state to the meeting that it would make a very good return.

Mr. CHAPLIN said that after what had 'pa'ssed scarcely
any thing he could say would be worth attention ; but as
the Chairman had particular tact in fixing responsibility both
upon his colleagues as well as his officers, he was bound to
say something. He went to Paris with his friends, in the
employment to which the Chairman had alluded ; he took a
very careful review of the traffic ; and he saw no reason in
any shape or way for departing from the data which had
been laid down by himself and Mr. Reed upon a former
occasion. Every portion, he considered, was flattering in the
extreme, and an increase rather than a decrease might be ex-
pected. The meeting was quite aware that apart from coach
or diligence traffic it was difficult to make a statement that
any man could swear to, because the wine came from distant
parts and at certain seasons; the fruit was also dependant
upon the season ; and it was impossible to stand and take
them doWn in that minute detail which could prove it. He
could, therefore, only refer the meeting to the authorities
quoted upon a former occasion for making the railway, and
they were the officials of all the towns upon the line and of
the various districts. These being men of importance, of
influence, and of character, there could he no doubt of the
facts. But if they looked only at the positive stage coach
traffic, and give it the proportion of increase that railway
facilities had produced in England, there could not be the
shadow of a doubt of its realizing all that bad been said.
There was one question that had arisen upon which it af-
forded him much satisfaction in giving his opinion, and that
was the question of how far the French might be of suf-
ficiently locomotive habits as to justify an anticipation of
that multiplication of trade in France which had taken place
In England. The two railways he was most conversant with
were that of St. Germains and that of Orleans. It was true
there might be an undue attraction in the former place which
suited the pleasurable habits of the Parisians; bqt during
their visit to France they went to Corbeille, which was the
first station on the Orleans line and twenty miles from
Paris, and here the case was different. This line had now
been opened twelve months. There was no great attraction
upon it, for it passed through an agricultural district, to a
small town something like Stafford; and it maintained a high
state of competition with steam-boats upon the canal. The
result of that line—though here there was no St. Cloud, no Ver-
sailles, or Paris—was that it produced £l3OO in the latter week
of September. Comparing this with the English practise, he
had much satisfaction in his calculation of the traffic. These
were his opinions, and his confidence in the undertaking was
unabated.

Mr. LAWRENCE said there was a feeling in Rouen that a
bridge near there which had been let to a French contractor,
would not he executed within the required time. If this were
so, it might impede the entire communication; and he begged
to call Mr. Locke's attention to it.
Mr. LOcwE said he had had a similar report made to him,
but in the present state of the contract it would be difficult
for him to interfere. The party had given security that the
contract should be performed in due time, therefore, at pre-
sent he had no right to assume that he did not intend to fulfil
it. He had himself doubts of the power of the French eon-
tractors to execute any work of this kind within the time
given. However, if he did not seem likely to do it within
the time the company had a right to expect, he (Mr. Locke)
would take means to ensure its being done by other hands.
Mr, BAnNED said, there was a part of the report which
might be easily explained he knew, but which at present gave
rise to some misconception. In allnding to the contractors, as
evincing their high opinion of the success of thp under-
taking, it was stated that with regard to the deposits which
they were compelled to leave in the hands of the directors,
as a security for the fulfilment of their contracts, that those
deposits would be invested in shares, and that the number
of sharps reserved would be 1,700. It might be well to
know whether the directors had, as public officers, shares
which they could devote to the fulfilment of this wish, or
whether the deposit was to be employed in the purchase of
shares in the market. The meeting had upon the one hand
a statement by the worthy director (Sir John Easthope), who