The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-03-18 00:00:00

the chairman that there was a proposition for a line on the
south side of Manchester before this company had come to
any other plan at all. He (Mr. Formby) had taken a few of
the shares in the Crewe line at the recommendation of the
chairman of the Grand Junction Company, and he thought
it a hard thing that the directors of this company should
adopt the line to 13 unt's Bank, and give up anuther which
they had under protection. He therefore suggested the pro-
priety of their stopping before it was adopted, and it was
only adopted upon the condition that it should not cost more
than £2OO ; and the bill was agreed to by the proprietors on
the condition alone that after it hadb::en obtained not anoher
step should be taken in the matter till their sanction had
been given to it.

The CIIAIRMAN said Mr. Formby was quite right ; the
hands of the directors were tied from the moment they got
the bill, for it was decided that not another step should be
taken till the directors had the approbation of the proprie-
tors. It was upon that account, and also upon account of
not seeing their way through it that the directors had never
brought the matter before the proprietors. With regard to
the recommendation of Mr. Boothby, he would see that the
third resolution authorised the directors to open ne-
gociations, so that was virtually the very recommendation
which Mr. Boothby had made. The directors would of
course open the negotiations in such a manner as they might
think most likely to be successful, either by appointing the
puty chairman, or a deputation, to carry out

chairman or d

their views

Mr. BooTnnY. said he had been induced to make the re-
commendation from the entire confidence be had in the two
chairmen, and because he thought that such negociations were
conducted better by a limited than by a large deputation. He
wished the opinion of the proprietors to be taken on the question
whether they would not be satisfied to have the matter
calmly discussed by the chairmen of the two companies—of
both of whom all must entertain the highest opinion. Did

ey not_ think that a mutual good understanding

was most

likely to be promoted between the two companies by such a
meeting in the first instance ? He did not mean to say that
they were to leave the matter in the hands of the chairmen
afterwards ; he merely wished to ascertain if the feeling of
the proprietors was in favour of such a meeting ? When it

was recollected that the Alanchester and Leeds proprietors
were to meet on Thursday [yesterday], when this subject
must come under discussion, it would tend to promote a good
understanding if the proprietors of this company expressed
themselves in favour of such a measure. He thought that
such an expression of their opinion would have a much more
beneficial effect than any general recommendation; and we
knew that very often the meetings of deputations, consisting
of numbers, were less effectual than interviews between the
chairmen only. With these views, he still wished to press

his recommendation.
The CHAIRMAN thought this matter had better be left as
suggested in the resolution.

sir. BOOTHIIY was sorry lie could not think so.
Mr. DAVID HODGSON, in -answer to what Mr. Boothby
had said, and lest there should be a wrong impression upon
the minds of the meeting, begged to say that there was not
the slightest indisposition upon the part of the directors,
either separately or collectively, to meet the Leeds and Man-
chester directors. They had beers ready at all times, and
they were ready now, to do so ; but, at the same time, he
rather thought the directors of this company had already
made advancesstowards the Leeds directors which they un-
derstood perfectly well, and perhaps Mr. Boothby would
therefore see the propriety of leaving the matter in the hands
of the directors. The directors of this company were as
anxious as men could be that every thing should be conducted
amicably ; no individual at the board had any other feeling
connected with the subject but that of a desire to have every
thing done in the very best possible manner, with regard to
the real interests of the proprietors. (Cheers.) He thought
it should be impressed upon the proprietors now present that
there was not the slightest impediment in the way of Mr.
Lawrence meeting Mr. Houldswarth, separately, as gentle-
men delegated for the purpose, or proceeding in any other
way that might be thought best; but as communications
must now necessarily take place between the two boards, per-
haps Mr. Boothby would see the propriety of leaving the
matter a.; it stood.
Mr. BOOTS! here made a communication, in an under tone,
to Mr. Boothby ; after which,
Mr. BOOTFIBY said a susgestion had just been made to
him, by Mr. Booth, which would have the effect of meeting
his views.

Mr. JOHN Moss thought it was much better to leave the
matter in the hands of the board ; and, if that were the course
determined upon, he was sure Mr. Lawrence would have
great pleasure in meeting Mr. Houldsworth.
Mr. BOOTHEY said he was satisfied.
Mr. GILL, as a director of the M-anchester and Leeds Rail-
way, begged to thank the meeting for the good feeling which
had been expressed towards that company. They had always
been willing to respond to it; but he thought himself bound
to state that the time had now come, as it was a crisis with
them, fur the Manchester and Leeds Company to ask this
company whether they intended to proceed with their line or
not. And if the correspondence which had taken place last
week, and the resolution forwarded by the Leeds board to
the directors of this company, were read, he thought they
would clearly shew the meeting that they were called upon to
decide the question now. The Leeds board were anxious to
meet the Liverpool board, and he begged to say that they
would meet them cordially in the spirit of friendship, in order
to arrange the existing differences ; but, at the same time, a
great many things had been said here to-day which ought not
to have been said. He would, however, pass that by. The
Manchester and Birmingham Company had acted for them-
selves ; they had lodged plans unasked for by the Leeds com-
pany, and of their own act. Now it was a most extraordi-
nary thing—but he had better deal in facts. (Hear, hear.)
The map [of Manchester] in his hand was official, was it ?
The CHAIRMAN.—Yes, it is official.
Mr. GILL had asked the question because the map which
was put into the hands of the proprietors at the last meeting
was not official. With that map in his hand, he could very
soon shew all the merits of the case. Here were five rail-
ways coming into Manchester, the Manchester and Liver-
pool, the Manchester and Leeds, the Manchester and Bir-
mingham., the Manchester and Sheffield, and the Manchester.
and Bolton. Four of these• companies had decided upon
coming to Hunt's Bank—the Liverpool and Manchester com-
pany was the only exception. He thought that was a really
important fact, with which the meeting, he trusted, would
know how to deal. He assured the meeting that they had,
as their chairman (Mr. Houldsworth) had stated in his ad-
dress, waited month after month, and year after year, with
the view of getting something done by this company ; but
nothing had been done till the twelfth hour. Here they were
in this position ; the compulsory powers of the [Liverpool
and Manchester] act expired in June next, and was it too
much to ask, upon the part of the Manchester and Leeds
Company, that if the thing was intended to be done at all it
should be done now? It had not been done, and the meet-
ing must allow him to ask the directors why it had not been
done ? The Leeds and Manchester board had pursued the
matter as far as they had been able, and why, lie asked, had
it not been done? They [the Leeds board] had not been so
fortunate as to have in their act of parliament the happy
words—" if the directors of the said company shall think
fit," but they were bound to go to Hunt's Bank. The Leeds
company met on Thursday next [yesterday], and he had the
report in his pocket, in which report it was stated that it
was not on the decision of the directors, but on the decision
of the proprietors, that they were bound to go to Hunt's
Bank. The question was left in the proprietors' hands, with-
out any recommendation upon the part of the direc-
tors, and, as he had before said, the proprietors decided
that they should go to Hunt's Bank. The directors
were now in the hands of the proprietors, and he could
assure the meeting there was a strong feeling among
them upon the subject. He regretted the differences that
had arisen, because they seemed to have raised the town of
Manchester against the town of Liverpool—towns whose
ipterests were closely connected, and should be inseparably
blended together; and on that account he really thought that
the shareholders assembled in the present meeting had much
better deal with the thing as it was, than to cause further pro-
crastination. It was necessary to come to some decision.
He should be most willing to hear whether anything could
be done—but at the same time he must state on the part of
the Manchester and Leeds Company, that it was their de-
cided intention, because they were compelled, to go to Hunt's
Bank, first by their act of parliament, and secondly by a
decision of the proprietors.
Mr. WILLIAM EARLE said it was most extraordinary,
after there had been so much cordiality upon this subject
expressed by the meeting, and after the gentleman who had
last spoken had himself expressed a wish for a cordiality of
feeling, that be should have thought it becoming to have
made observations which were calculated to produce anything
but what he professed to desire. He had said it was a fixed
determination upon the part of his company, that such and
such things should be done
Mr. GILL.—The determination of the proprietors.
Mr. EARLE.— Well ; then if the determination were
agreed upon, it was much better that no further discussion
should take place here lest any angry expressions should get
abroad which might prevent a disposition for arrangement to
the satisfaction of all parties. All diplomacy and all refer-
ences seemed now to be entirely useless.
Mr. GILL said he was accused of using improper language.
He was not conscious of having said anything improper.
He appealed to the chairman if he had said any improper
word.
The CHAIRMAN.—It is not alleged that you have.
Mr. GILL.—I merely do not wish this highly-respectable
meeting to be deceived; it is proper they should know we
are determined to go to Hunt's Bank.
Mr. ALSTON said the remarks of Mr. Gill had screwed
his courage to the sticking-place, and he should second the
motion for the adoption of the resolutions proposed by Mr.
Boothby. He entered that room with a good deal
of doubt upon his mind, on thgasubject of the meet-
ing ; but the directors having propared to refer the matter
in dispute to the highest authority, the most unexcep-
tionable authority they could get, he would with pleasure
second the motion. He rejoiced that all differences, all
jealousies, and all that had been said about Manchester
being opposed to Liverpool, and Liverpool to Manchester,
were to be laid aside, and the question A issue finally settled
upon rational principles. (Hear, hear, bear.) It was upon
this ground that he seconded the proposition. But he must
say, that, although they had had two meetings upon this sub-
ject, there had been no reason given by the directors of this
company why they were so unwilling to go to Hunt's Bank,
after having at one time supported that line. It had not
been stated in the reports, and he thought that for the satis-
factiOrn of the proprietors it should be explained ; if the mat-
ter was to be referred, it was important to know the reason
which the directors had for not going to Hunt's Bank.
With regard to the guarantee of ten per cent. it ought to be
thrown aside. The Liverpool and Manchester company put
their case into the hands of the referee—whether the mem-
bers for the county, the chancellor of the duchy, or the board
of trade—and they ought to wait for the decision before they
gave an opinion upon such a subject. Under these circum-
stances, he had only to say that he hoped the question would
now be settled by being referred to persons of high standing
and authority, as suggested.
The CHAIRMAN said it was imperative that there should
have been a meeting of the proprietors before the question
went to a reference. With regard to the remark, that the
directors bad given no reason why they had not gone to
Hunt's Bank, he had stated it before. It was evident that
they could not see the way to make the line answer. The
expenditure would be such that they did not feel it necessary
to call upon the proprietors to go to Hunt's Bank.
Mr. CREWDSON said he rose to support Mr. Boothbv's
motion. If the two chairman met together all differences
might be avoided ; and if they felt it necessary, they might
call in such assistance as would enable them to come to an
amicable adjusnient of all the questions between the two

companies.
Mr. THEODORE RATHBONE hoped that Mr. Gill's wish, to
have the correspondence with the Leeds board read, would
be complied with ; for it would vindicate the directors of this
company from the charge of being indisposed to meet the
Leeds board.
Several proprietors here said that there was no necessity
for reading the correspondence.
The CHAIRMAN mentioned that it would only occupy two

or three minutes.
Mr. RATIIBONE again urged the reading of the corespon-
dence. It would settle the point as to the alleged unwilling.
ness of the Liverpool board to meet the Leeds board. In
point of fact there had been repeated meetings between them,
and he sincerely wished that they might be carried on so long
as there was any hope or prospect of their coming to an
amicable arrangement. The Liverpool board had met re-
peatedly with Mr. Houldsworth ; but it was always required
that before they entered into discussion that they (the Liver-
pool board) should abandon every thing, and come to terms
to which they could not agree. That, indeed, was the real
substance of the last proposition. With regard to the im-
perative nature of the Leeds act Mr. Gill could not he unaware
that there was nothing in that ; and that, if they could divest
themselves of their apprehensions with regard to the Sheffield
company, they would see that it was quite as important for