The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-02-04 00:00:00

measure, that the information should be witheld. The effect
of the clause was then as follows :

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

" That the warehouses to ho erected, under the powers of
the act, may be used as public warehouses at the following
periods after the passing of the act, and not sooner :—one-
half of the warehouses on the west quay of the Prince's Dock,
at the expiration of two years, and the remainder at the expi-
ration of two and a half years ; one-third part of the ware-
houses, to be erected on the quays of the intended new dock,
at the expiration of three years, another third part at the ex-
piration of four years, and the remaining third part at the ex-

RAILWAY PROSPECTS.

From a statement which is now before us, it appears that
there are now in England 6821 miles of railway completed
and in operation, and it is expected that in the course of the
present year 6.301 miles additional will be completed, making
altogether 1313 miles of railway, which will be brought into
operation before the end of 1840. There will then remain
for subsequent completion in England 413 miles, the entire
number of miles for which railway acts. have been passed be-
ing 1726 miles.
The amount to be raisod by calls for railway purposes dur-
'ing the present year is calculated to he £5,908M0., a sun►
considerably less than was called up during the past Year of
- depression and suffering. The amount remaining to be
called for, after 1840, is £3,865,000, which will complete the
capital authorized to be raised for railways in England by
acts of Parliament passed up to the close of last session.
The above statements, which we find to be tolerably accu-
rate, are encouraging to those interested in the prosperity of
railway property. As the present year progresses, the drain
for railway capital will gradually diminish, and estimating
the cost per mile; of the 6301 miles exp,pcted to be completed
this year, at an average of £25,000, (which is beneath the
mark,) it will be perceived that a capital of £15,750,000. will
become productive by their completion. If we add to this
the fact, that in the 6821 miles stated to be completed are in-
cluded portions of several great lines which, although now in
operation, and some of them working profitably, cannot be
expected to develop their full resources until wholly com-
pleted, we may fairly add an additional £3,000,000 to the
capital which the termination of 1810 will bring into pro-
ductiveness.

piration of five years.
Mr. Boors proposed the following amendment on Mr.
Evans's motion :---, That this Council, having in view to
carry into effect the recommendation of the Finance Com-
mittee, confirmed by the Council of the Bth March last, 're-
commending the erection of large closed sheds in the Dock
Quays in preference "lb warehouses, cannot •sanction those
clauses of the proposed bill which authorize the erection of
such Warehouses on the Dock- Quays-by the Dock Trustees."
Mr. EARLE seconded the amendment. There had, he
said, been as much exaggeration in, some of Mr. Evans's
statements as there had been in the other party stating the
warehouse property to be worth four millions. Certainly
Mr. Evans was correct in his calculations on that point, and

. .
it was impOssible to contradict them. He (Mr. Earle) con-
ceived, that a property worth even two millions four hundred
and forty thousand pounds was Worthy of some consideration,
and, he had no. doubt, it would receive attention in Parlia-
ment. • He fully agreed, that the public good should he pre-
ferred
before private interests, but it ought to be well proved
that the good Would be commensurate with the injury that
would.be done, for it was an insult to their understanding to
endeavour to persuade the owners of warehouse property that
the measure would.not injure them. He, however, did not
think the government would sanction the measure, and this
brought him to another ground of objection. They were run-
ning their heads into a contest which would cost a great deal
of money. The warehouse owners and those interested in
warehouse property were Prepared to go on with a strenuous
opposition at their own expense, and the Trustees of the
Docks would go on with the public money. People had got
into their heads, that warehouses were wanted at the docks,
and all other improvements were, consequently, stopped.
He would, by and by, move a resolution, that the Dock Com-
mittee should be compelled to go on with the other improve-
ments proposed, and which were.necessary, and not continue
to deprive them of what was really required, because they
had got it into their heads, that, because warehouses were
wanted, they should have nothing else till they got them.
The MAYOR said, the Town;clerk declared Mr. Booth's
amendment irregular, as it went to the effect of substituting
sheds for warehouses, the latter•having been decided upon at
the last council on this subject. It would be found, there-
fore, that such a motion could not be entertained without

We may also mention the fact, that many of those lines
which are expected to be opened this year are junction lines,
or feeders to other great lines, the profitable working of
which will be materially increased by the additional traffic
thus brought upon them, and that upon many of the lines
already opened the arrangements for merchandize and other
traffic have hitherto been incomplete. It is not, therefore,
too much to anticipate that the dividends upon these lines
for the present year will materially relieve the market, and
afford: solid grounds of confidence to the holders of railway
property.

notice.
The Tows-curs explained, at some length, that, as the
notice of the present council was.to take into consideration a
bill prepared pursuant to the resolutions of the Dock Corn- , .
mittee, adopted by the Council on the 2d of October. 1839, ' CHESTER AND BIRKENHEAD RAILWAY
and, as the amendment went to the rescinding of a portion of The application to parliament made by this company, for
those resolutions, it could not' now be entertained. Any
leave to raise additional capital by the issue of half-shares,
proceedings of that nature ought to be upon a distinct notice
of motion of intention to rescind a resolution formerly passed. appears to have created a feeling to the prejudice of the un-
They could not now step in to overturn a resolution. Any . dertaking, greater than we think could have arisen, unless
member, who thought it expedient to rescind the resolution, \
aided by misrepresentation or the prejudices of opposing in-
could give suitable notice, and move an adjournment.
Seteral members expressed their astonishment at this view terests. The necessity for increase of capital, beyond the
of the Town-clerk, and asked, for what purpose they had original estimate, was announced by the directors at the last
met, if they must not object to the clauses of the bill. half-yearly meeting, and the cause which had led to it fully
The TOWN-CLERK said, there was plenty of matter in the ,
~
and although, as supporters of the railway sys-
bill to which attention might legally be directed, and in which explained ;
alterations might be made • but those portions of it which tem, we deprecate the too frequent recurrence of discrepancies
had been determined upon, by the_ adoption of the resolutions between the parliamentary estimates and the actual cost of
of the Committee, could not be interfered with without due railways, yet we must express our conviction that the expla-
notice.
Mr. *SMITH, Mr. JOHN HoI.MES, and one or two other nation then given onght' to have been perfectly satisfactory
members said, they distinctly recollected, that, when these to the shareholders and the public. As respects the former,
resolutions passed, the Council were told, that the whole such, we believe, has been the case ; but yet the bare fact of
question would be still open for debate when the bill was this application being necessary has afforded a handle to par'
brought forward.
Mr. 'sane HOLMES said, he had not received his sum- ties interested in depreciating its stock, which they have not
mons till Wednesday evening, which left no time to give been slow to lay hold of.
notice. . . The increased expense of the line has been mainly owing to
Mr. H. LAWRENCE (who had spoken'several times) was
about to address the Council, when one or two causes, over which the engineers could have no
Mr. SHELL arose, and begged to remind gentlemen of the control, and which they could scarcely foresee. The direct'
standing orders. Mr. Lawrence had addressed the Council ors have had to submit to some very exorbitant charges for
three or four times, a course which was not sanctioned by
their rules.- He should make it a point, in future, to inter-
fere every time he saw those rules violated. The observa- chase for stations, &c. to a more ample extent than was 00'
tions made by the Town-clerk were just, and he hoped they ,;finally contemplated or may at first be wanted. An increase
would be productive of some change in the mode of summon- has also been made to the weight of the rails, by which
ing. The question before them was one of great importance,
greater durability is. insured. Some contingencies have oe*
and they had been called at the very latest moment permitted.
For his own part, he never received his notice in proper time. eurred, but to a trifling extent, to increase the cost of execot'
He ought to have it three clear days before the meeting of ing the works; but in most cases, we believe, the enlarged
the Council ; yet, he never received a summons for Wednes- . cost in this way has been caused by alterations of the original
day till Monday morning. If individuals werd obliged to
give notices of amendments similar to the present, they ought plans, adopted with a view to the general improvement of
to have their summonses delivered in time to enable them to the line, the benefit of which will arise from increased facility
do so. Mr. Shell explained, that, as his counting-house of working. A considerable sum has also been sunk in pa'
closed early, the notice might, probably, be put into the let-
chasing
the rights of the Woodside Ferry Company, by which
ter-box on Saturday night, and he not get it till Monday •
morning. He could not agree to any doctrine that in- the directors secure in their own hands a valuable propertY,
fringed upon the freedom of debate, and, with regard to this together with the greatest degree of accommodation for their
bill, he thought sufficient time had not been given for parties Liverpoottraffic.
to maturely consider all its clauses. at
Mr. HENRY LAWRENCE said, his intention was merely to Under these circumstances an application to Parliament
move an adjournment, and to give the following notice. Mr. became indispensable, in order to complete the undertaking'
Lawrence read his notice as follows :—" I hereby give notice, thus enlarged, and to provide the means of conducting the,
that it is my intention to move, that the resolution of thethe tub
carrying department efficiently. Supposing that
~
Council, of the 2d October last, so far as. relates to the erec-
tion, by the Dock Trustees, of Warehouses on the Dock amount applied for—Xl2s,ooo—should be required, in add'
Quays, be rescinded, and that the clauses for empowering tion to the original capital of £250,000, the entire cost per
the bock Trustees to build such warehouses, and all refer- mile would not then exceed £27,500, which upon a short
ences thereto, in the preamble of the intended bill, be
omitted." line of fifteen miles is not excessive, and upon which the
Mr. G. HOLT thought it incorrect to adjourn. The Dock . estimated traffic of the company would afford an ample re"
Committee had drawn up a bill in compliance with resolu- muneration. We have reason to believe, however, that'
tions formerly adopted ; and this was an attempt to get rid of
smallportion only of the whole amount of the new share'
.a previous decision by a side-wind. He met the proposal to
ihe
adjourn by a direct negative. will be called up ; yet we quite approve of the policy of &--
. ' Mr. BOLTON and Mr. RATTIBONE expressed their accord- directors, in applying for power to raise a larger Sum, is
ante with the views of Mr. 'Holt. order to enable them at a future time to avail themselves."
Dock -Mr.
Con m Howlittee- Hottto passNnv saidthe, it
bill without givin g could uot bathe wthoseish of
who the
any contingency which may offer for the advantage of the
Were Oppoaed to it' an opportunity of pushing their objections. undertaking.
If there were no. other way of getting over the difficulty, he The works upon the line are rapidly and satisfactorilY Prir
. should vote for the adjournment.
, and are fully expected to be °Tessin, completed in the
711 r. EVANS said, it had been observed, that gentlemen ' o'
Who were • not in the Council when the resolutions were course of the ensuing summer. We would, therefore'
passed were not horrid to them ; hut, surely, there was some strongly urge upon those who have- so far adhered tot,
ohligationo.o.thosp Nyho y7Srt; in,-the Council at that time. undertaking, to continue their. .confidence until its opentilyi
The Council divided. on. the. question, when there appeared
when we think the evil prognostications and the interested
for the adjournment, Messrs. Hodgson, John Holmes, Isaac
Holmes, Houghton, Preston, Sandhaeh,•Frankland, Wright, motives of those parties who are now engaged in decryingl
Barton, Sands, H. -Holmes, H. Hornby, Cooper, J. Law- will be disappointed. Until within a few months its stoci,
-rence, .Robinson, H..Lawrenee, Wood, Gladstone, Bushell,
has maintained itself firmly in our market„ ; and howecer
R. Jones, G. H. Lawrence, Leigh, Smith, Duncan, Mather, (le.
Booth,' `C. H. Jones, Earle, Moon, Freme, and Dr. Carson. much, and for whatever motives, it may be. temporarily
Against the adjournment, Messrs. Thornhill, Mellor,_ Pil- preciated,
,we have little fear of its being for ,the present
cher, Bolton, Priestley, Woollright, Bright, Rathbone, Yates, good and safe investment, and, ultimately, when the rej.
Blackburn, Morecroft, Segar, Coglan, Platt, M'Kee, Currie, oFe
Sheil, J. Hornby, Roskell, Leathorn, C. Holt. Benn, Evans, sources of the line shall be fully. developed by the prop
.eit
Barclay, Bul!ey, T. Holt, E. Harvey,-and the Mayor. Ruabon branch, and a connection formed -with the ri
For the adjournment, 31 • against it, 28; majority, 3. mineral district; to which that branch will give it access!
:Absent, Messrs. Quayle, Lassen, (on the continent,) highly profitable one.
Rigby, and Jordan.
The TOWN-CLERK, in reference to what had fallen from.
Mr. Sheil, gave it as his opinion, that the service of the
summons on the Saturday night for the ensuing Wednesday
was good, but he could not, by any means,- approve of the
summonses being left in a letter-box.
It was dec;ded, that ' the adjournment of the Council
should be till Wednesday next, when the subject of the Dock
Bill is to take precedence of all other business.
Mr. BooTn gave the following notice of motion :—" I give
notice, that I shall move, at the next meeting of the Council,
that those recommendations of the Finance Committee, on
the subject of the intended Warehouses on the Quays of the
Docks, which were adopted by the Council, on the Bth March
last, be made part of the provisions of the new Dock Act."
The Council adjourned, at half-past one o'clock, to eleven
o'clock on Wednesday next.

DUTY ON RAILWAY PASSENGERS.
A meeting of deputations from several of the leacii4
Scotch lines was held on the 24th ult., in Glasgow, to oct
sider the best mode of endeavouring to effect a change in Pr
present system of levying the passenger duty on railwsil
The unequal pressure of this tax has of late been old:
noticed, and has been adduced by the directors of oily;
c mapanies as a complete bar to the establishment of troi°,
for the conveyance of the humbler classes of travellers 0
rate proportionate to their means. Upon lines of railoll
where are average fare of 3d. per mile is paid, the governo'l,
duty, (which is a fixed duty in the shape of a poll tasda,
4 1-6 per cent ; on 2d. per mile it is 6 per cent ; and on Ili
per mile it is 121 per cent upon the entire receipts. It
therefore be evident, that upon lines of expensive construct°,
and working, the profitable conveyance of passenger'
low fares is impracticable, and a large class
.of the o°.;
munity is thereby shut out from the facilities which railo
offer to their more wealthy brethren. •
We trust that the directors of our English railway's -17
at once take up tftis subject and co-operate with ti'V
Scottish neighbours. To railways in the manufacturing ,
districts, an alteration of the mode of levying the (11"
(which is all that is sought) would be, of great advantne;
and the accommodation that might then be offered to i.e
labouring classes and smaller tradesmen in their journe;
either of recreation or business would be welcomed 05.01
boon, not unappropriately following, and perhaps exceed' 0
in value, to them at least, the reduction of the postage tie
their letters.

LIVERPOOL SHIPWRECK AND HUMANE
SOCIETY.

The committee far the management of this excellent society
met on Friday, and awarded the following gratuities, viz.:—
Three pounds to the captain, and two pounds to each of
the crew of the Magazine life-boat, for saving the crew and
passengers of the Corsair, from Halifax to Liverpool, on
shore on Jordan's Flats, on Tuesday the 28th instant.
Two nourals to the captain, and one pound to each of the
crew of the Liverpool life-boat, that went down in the tow of
the steam-tug President, to assist in saving the -lives in that
ship.
Twenty pounds to the steam-tug company, and ten pounds
to the captain of the President, for going to the assistance of
the Corsair, and for towing the life-boats, containing the
people, into port.
. Five guineas and a vote of thanks to Captain Gill, of the
Mona's Isle steamer, and five guineas to the crew, for taking
the Magazine life-boat in tow on her passage to the Isle of
Man, and placing it to windward of the wreck.
We are happy to see that the liberality of the committee of
this useful and honourable association is fully equal to the
important cases to which their attention is directed, and we
trust that our townsmen generally will come 'forward hand-
somely, to enable them to• continue to meet all exigencies.
No less a sum than £lOO has been expended already this
year, in promoting the objects of this society ; and, if further
calls, of which many are to be expected at this season, are
made upon its funds, it is apprehended the committee will not
have the power to respond to them without a renewal of the
public subscriptions.

LONDON AND BRIGHTON RAILWAY.-HALF•

YEARLY MEETING..
The half-yearly general meeting of this Company was bell,
on Thursday last, at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-streff
John Harman, Esq., in the chair. The attendance was 'ILI
large. We arc unable to give a full report of the proceedifirA
which are too long for our columns, but have pleasure la
venting to a few statements contained in the directors' re
port, which are calculated to afford considerable satis6l44
tion to the proprietors. • • -
First, with respect to the works—it is now announced th_.,/11
the line will be completed and opened to within seven...thiev
miles of Brighton by the end of the ensuing autumn.
remainder of the line is progressing rapidly and satisfactorw;
Next, with respect to the share list, it may be remeinberet
that at the last half-yearly meeting the arrears upon 01V
amounted to the immense sum of ,:£122,896. Of this °tilt
directors have since recovered £110,708, leaving in arreoe
the comparatively trivial amount of X 12,188, a considersul
portion of which the directors expect will be shortly l'aihe
Of the call which has been made since the last meeting' ty
sum of £207,728 has been paid, leaving an arrear of £75,44:1
The whole of this amount, however, the directors anticipst
_being paid.
The directors announced for forfeiture a number of sli4re';
held by parties unable to pay, or who have sold but not bet;
relieved from responsibility by registration. In the 13tted
case, the nominal holders have given security for payaleil,t
the calls due, upon condition of their having the shares I°.ej
feited and their responsibility put an end to. It was gilt ),
by the chairman, that of the 36,000 shares which made ld
the capital of the Company, the total number that svcsibe
have to be reallolled, under the forfeiting clause, would
only 14.1 shares! This statement was received by the Weeit:e
ing with great applause, and speaks volumes in favour of
soundness of the share list.

. The following is a copy of a report presented by the Marine
Surveyor to the Dock Committee, on Thursday last :
" Marine Surveyor's Office, Jan. 30, 1840.
" The Marine Surveyor feels much satisfaction in laying
before the Committee a report of services rendered by the
Magazine and Liverpool life:-boats, on the 27th instant, by
which the passengers and crew (20 in number) of the barque
Corsair, wrecked on the Jordan .Flats, were rescued from a
watery grave.
" The wreck having been descried from the various light-
houses, about 10 a.m., the distress flags ,were immediately-
hoit•ted ; and the Magazine life-boats' crew appear to have
been particularly prompt and active in launching and man-
ning their boat, and proceeding to her assistance.
" The Mona's Isle, steam-packet to the Isle of Man,.
Captain Gill, it appears, was at this time passing the Rock
lighthouse, on her outward-bound passage, but on perceiving
the distress-signal flying at the lighthouse, her commander-,
at once, with the most praiseworthy humanity, returned tro-
wards the Magazines, (although he had the mail and several
passengers on board,) and took the life-boat in tow, con-
ducting her as far as the Formby light-vessel, from whence
the crew made sail in the life-boat, and on boarding the wreck
succeeded in getting the whole of the crew and passengers
into the boat.

" On the distress-signal having been perceived flying at
Bidston, I had immediately despatched the Liverpool life-
boat ; an application for this boat, on the part of the Humane
Society, (which is herewith submitted,) flaying reached me
after siv had started.
" She was subsequently towed out by the President steam-
er, that vessel having been despatched to the wreck by the
Steam Tug Company, and reached the scene of action just
as the last man of the rescued crew was in the act of being
lowered into the Magazine life-boat.
" Both boats then pulled to windward to the President,
which was lying to for them, and by that vessel they were
subsequently towed into port, the rescued people being in
the Magazine life-boat.
"The life-boats' crews express the utmost confidence in
their respective boats ; and it affords a gratifying proof of
their good qualities, that with 31 individuals in the Magazine
boat she was perfectly manageable and seaworthy, and could
have run into port under sail.
(Signed) " VIM. LORD, Marine Surveyor.
" To the Dock Committee."
Upon this report the Committee resolved,—That 5 be
paid to the master, and £3 each to the crew of the Maga-
zines life-boat, as a reward for their meritorious exertions ;
that the thanks of the Committee be presented to Captain
Gill, of the Mona's Isle steam-packet ; and that a copy of
Mr. Lord's report be forwarded to the Committee of the
Humane Society.

Power was taken by the directors to borrow the $ll
;
£600,000, previous to doing which, however, it, was he
nounced that another call must be made, to compel "e,
amount of one half the capital, necessary to be paid 011,3,
fore the borrowing clause becomes operatfve. It was OOP
that a £5 call would be sufficient.
After hearing a highly satisfactory report from Mr. 11%-e
trick, the engineer, and re-electing the retiring directors, t
meeting broke up.

YORK AND NORTH—MIDLAND RAILWAY COO'
pANy—GENERAL MEETING. t
On Thursday last the half-yearly general meeting 0: the
proprietors of this company, was held in the Compaq°
rooms, Blake-street, York. There was a large attendalleoe
directors and shareholders. Mr. Alderman Hudson,
chairman of the company, occupied the chair. bf
• The Chairman commenced the busineSs of the meeting c•
calling upon the Secretary to read the:report of the dire_ir
tors. The report congratulates' the proprietary on the lie
abated success of the line. The receipts on the 14
open, from the 30th of May, 1839, to the 30th of Deceitor

Captain Clegg .has received a further distinction for his
gallant and intrepid conduct in saving the passengers from
the steam-boat Huskisson, having been presented on Thurs-
day by the committee of Lloyd's with the large silver medal.
rim QUEEN'S MARTUAGE.—Mr. Evans, of the British
Hotel, Moortiekls, intends, we understand, having a public
dinner at that hotel, on the day of the Queen's marriage.'