ilo 
THE GARDENERS’ CHRONICLE. 
[Frs. 18, 
Western, 11,090/.; Dover, 1,262/.; Birmingham, 
13,9741. ; Northern and Eastern, 1,1927.— The half- 
yearly meeting of the London and Birmingh yn pany 
IRELAND. 
Dublin.—Mr. G. A. Hamilton was last week elected 
ive forthe University of Dublin, in the room 
Co 
was held on the 10th inst,, when the attendance of pro- 
prietors was larger than usual. The directors’ report 
showed that the receipts for the last. half-year were 
426,679/., being a decrease of 8,355/. on the correspond- 
ing half-year, chiefly owing to the general depression 
under which every branch of trade and manufacture has 
been suffering. The greatest falling off is in the receipts 
of the Ist class passengers, while on the other hand there 
had been an increase of those of the 3d class. The dimi- 
nution in the expenses of working the line had been, 
during the three years, 41,3977. The net profit to be 
divided among the shareholders was 248,818/. 13s. 5d., 
and a dividend of 5/. per cent. on the capital stock was re- 
commended and unanimously adopted. The balance is tobe 
carried to the credit of the next half-year, and the income- 
tax to be deducted from the dividend of each proprietor. 
—The half-yearly meeting of the Northern and Eastern 
Company took place on Thursday. The report stated, 
that during the six months ending the 31st December, 
the receipts from passengers and parcels amounted to 
35,746/., which exceeded the previous half-year’s receipts 
by 6,760/. 7s. 8d. After deducting 3,906/. 15s., the in- 
terest on debentures, there remained a balance of 
9,7027. 3s. 4d., from which the Directors recommended a 
dividend, at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum on the 
paid-up capital, or 18s. per share, which would leave a 
sum of 1,2767. to be carried forward. A motion for a 
committee of investigation was expected, but it was not 
pressed, as the directors themselves frankly acknow- 
ledged that» they could not be said to have displayed abi- 
lity in their administration. They appeared rather to 
throw themselves upon the consideration of the share- 
holders, since the point of dep ion was past, inding 
them of pecuniary help which two or three of the 
Directors (Messrs. Crawshay, Routh, &c.) had afforded 
in bringing the company through its early difficulties to 
its present position, which is asserted to be one that will, 
with care and caution in future management, enable the 
declaration of a dividend from actual revenue of at least 7 
or 8 percent. The increased revenue is expected to re- 
sult from the development of the goods traffic on the 
Bishop Stortford district and the Hertford and Ware 
-branch when completed. Several new directors were 
elected before the meeting broke up.—The half-yearly 
general meeting of the London Grand Junction Com- 
pany was held on Saturday, when a resolution was passed 
empowering the Directors, now that the Act incorporating 
the Company had expired, to call in the certificates of 
shares, with a view to winding up the affairs, and 
of dividing the balance in hand of 3,599/. on the 7,600 
paid up shares. The chairman, in acknowledging a vote 
of thanks in behalf of himself and colleagues, said he be- 
lieved that the termination of the Company’s affairs would 
be more satisfactory than its commencement, and that 
the expenses had been kept down as closely as possible. 
—A dividend of 5 per cent. has been declared to the Edin- 
burgh and Glasgow Railway shareholders, the profits for 
the half-year being 40,813/. The visit‘of the Queen to 
Scotland had contributed much to this revenue, and it 
was therefore determined to increase the reserved fund 
with a larger appropriation of revenue than usual. The 
line is worked at the rate of 33 per cent. for expenses— 
At the meeting of the Chester and Birkenhead Company 
last week, it was resolved to announce a dividend of 10s. 
per share for profit, amounting to 5,297/. on the half- 
year’s traffic. Retrenchments have been made in the 
working expenses of the line to the extent of 1,781/ in 
the last six months.—Another letter has been addressed 
by the Board of Trade to the directors of the North Mid- 
land Railway with reference to the late fatal accident on 
that line, and to the reductions in the establishment. 
It states that the Inspector-General, after investigating 
the railway, has not only confirmed the opinion expressed 
by the Board in their former letter respecting “the inex- 
pediency of sudden and sweeping reductions affecting the 
class of servants upon whose skill and good conduct the 
safety of the passengers depends, as a general principle ; 
but has also led their Lordships to regret that, in the 
particular instance of the North Midland Railway Com. 
pany, the directors should have adopted measures which 
their Lordships cannot but consider, from the cireum- 
stances as reported by the Inspector-General, to have 
been calculated to compromise, and to have, in fact, com- 
promised; the safety of the public travelling by that line,” 
They also express a hope that the directors will omit no 
opportunity of replacing the working establishment of the 
line on a footing efficient in all respects as regards the 
‘public safety, as it was before the recent reductions were 
*enforced.—The half-yearly general: meeting of the Great 
Western Company was held’ on Thursday. The report 
stated that the revenue for the last six months showed an 
increase of 21,311/. over the corresponding period of 
* 1841, which was partly to be ascribed to the additional 
“distance opened between Bridgewater and Taunton. The 
number of passengers conveyed during the half-year had 
been 869,444, and the total traffic receipts 358,664/.; of 
“which 302,0847. was the exclusive earning of the Great 
Western Railway proper. The working expenses had 
been reduced to 36. percent., exclusive of the cost for 
depreciation of stock. The disposable balance in hand 
was 108,4827,; out of which, in accordance with the re- 
commendation of the Directors, a dividend was declared 
for the half-year at the rate of six per cent., leaving a ba- 
lance, after deducting the income-tax, of 2,607/. to be car- 
ried to the current account. The board also proposed to 
reduce the remuneration voted to the twelve directors to 
1,200/. per annum. 
of Judge Jackson. There was no opposition, the oppo- 
nents ofnational education having led the Attorney-General 
and the government to retire from the field. Mr. Hamil- 
ton spoke at great length on the education and Maynooth 
questions, in opposition to the policy adopted by 
government on those subjects. On Saturday the governor 
of the Marshalsea received an application from Mr. 
Joshua Jacob, the leader of a new sect called the White 
Quakers, “‘ for liberty to go forth into the city to do the 
work of the Lord,” with which he refused to comply. 
He then begged to be allowed to attend the Catholic 
chapel, promising ‘‘to be a silent spectator, unless an 
overwhelming impulse of the Spirit come upon him.” 
The deputy-marshal was sent to him, by the directions of 
the Governor, to state that this application would be 
acceded to, if he gave an unconditional promise not to 
create any disturbance. He made no immediate reply, 
but after staring at the deputy for about twenty minutes, 
exclaimed, ‘‘ Thou art'like unto a dead man before me by 
the power of the Lord God.” Under these circumstances 
it was considered‘{unadyisable to allow him to attend the 
chapel, more especially since the recent proceedings of 
the sect have rendered it desirable to give no encourage- 
“ment to the public manifestations of their enthusiasm.— 
The Poor-law Guardians in different parts of the country 
continue to express dissatisfaction at the removal of Mr. 
Phelan from his office of assistant-commissioner. At the 
meeting of the board of Guardians of the Abbeyleix union 
on Monday, Lord de Vesci presiding, a resolution was 
adopted describing Mr. Phelan as a most efficient and 
impartial officer, and expressing an “anxious hope that 
his services as assistant Poor-law Commissioner may be 
continued.’’ This resolution was moved by Mr. Price, 
agent to the Marquess of Lansdowne, and supported by 
gentlemen of Conservative, Whig, and Radical politics, 
who concurred in condemning the measure as one of un- 
necessary harshness.—At the meeting of the Repeal As- 
sociation on Monday, an abstract of the accounts from 
the 6th Sept. last to the 26th of last month, was pro- 
duced. The receipts during this period were 2,566, 
17s.'8d., including a balance in hand of 253/. 12s. 2d. 
The expenditure was 2,233/. 1s. 3d., leaving a balance 
in favour of the Association of 3337. 16s. 5d. Mr. 
O’Connell adverting to this unusually large balance, said 
that the association was never so completely free from 
debt, nor were their prospects for repeal ever so bright. 
The spirit was spreading in every quarter, and the Presby- 
terians of the north were joining them in all directions. 
ethen proceeded at greatlength to enlargeupon the future 
movements of the Repealers, and on the present state of 
European policy. The leading topics were those which 
he has so frequently urged, namely, that Ireland always 
obtained concessions from England when she was in a 
state of embarrassment, and that if he had three millions 
of Repealers now, no one could doubt that he would carry 
a repeal of the Union. He dwelt at length upon the 
present distressed state of England in her domestic and 
foreign relations, as furnishing strong grounds of hope for 
Treland. ‘Many persons,” he said, “ had asked him why 
he did not attend Parliament now? What was the use 
of it ?4 What good could he: do in Sir R. Peel’s packed 
Parliament ? He had never looked for French or an 
foreign alliance. He relied upon Ireland and the Irish, 
but he would not} refuse to receive {the co-operation or 
sympathy of any good and wise nation. The great mis- 
take in the career of Napoleon was, that he undervalued 
Ireland. Tf, instead of going out to Egypt, he had 
brought 40,000 men to Ireland—if, instead of going to 
Russia, amid its snows, he had sent 50,000 men to Ire- 
land, his/story would ,have been different. The wealthy 
inhabitants of the country might have opposed him, but 
the people would have asked each other if they would not 
do better under the sway of Napoleon than under that of 
England, and the connexion between the countries would 
have been severed in less time than he was addressing 
the meeting.”—An action brought by the Rev. Mr. 
Hurst, of St. Catherine’s parish, against Mr. Whaley, for 
defamation of character, which had excited a great deal of 
local interest, and occupied many days in trial, was 
brought to a conclusion on Tuesday. The court was 
crowded at an early hour to hear the charge of the Chief 
Justice, who stated the case at great length ; after which, 
the jury returned a verdict for Mr. Hurst, acquitting him 
of the charge of intoxication on the days specified in the 
pleadings ; on the other issues they found for the de- 
fendant, thus exonerating him from the imputation of 
malice in preferring his complaint to the Archbishop, on 
which the present action was founded. 
Edinburgh.—The Caledonian Mercury states that the 
Government have raised, in name of the officers of state, 
an action of damages against a Presbytery in Argyleshire, 
for refusing to settle an unacceptable presentee in the 
parish of Muckairn, and that the damages they claim 
amount to 15,000/., although, by a recent decision of the 
court, the patrons get the yacant stipend. This step on 
the part of the Government. is decisive, and puts an end 
to all prospect of a settlement of the Church question, if 
any such remained after the letter of Sir J. Graham. 
Glasgow.—The local papers inform us that a richly- 
chased tea and coffee service of plate, together with a 
silver candelabrum, have been presented to Mr. Alison, 
sheriff of the county, by an unknown-individual in one of 
the commercial cities of England, The following inscrip- 
tion is engraven on the tribute :—“ TojArchibald Alison, 
Esq., Author of the ‘History of Europe during the 
French Revolution,’ in testimony of the sense entertained 
of the benefits he has conferred upon his country. From 
an Unknown Donor.’’—On Wednesday last, at the half- 
yearly meeting of the Glasgow Railway Company, the 
question of Sunday travelling was again brought forward. 
Mr. Henderson moved the discontinuance of the Sunday 
trains,;which, after a long discussion, was put to the vote. 
There appeared of those present :—For the Sunday trains, 
301 votes ; against them, 323, Majority 22. Scruti- 
neers were appointed to examine the proxies, when the 
gross majority, so far as could be ascertained, was 1,307 
in favour of the Sunday trains. 
THEATRICALS. 
Drury Lanx.—On- Saturday night a new tragic 
drama, in three acts, called A Blot in the ’Scutcheon, 
from the pen of Mr, Browning, was produced at this 
theatre with complete success. he interest of the plot 
hinges on the anxiety of Lord Tresham, a haughty noble, 
proud of his stainless ’scutcheon, and of his long 
line of illustrious ancestors, that the present represen- 
tatives of the family, himself and his sister, should trans 
mit to their posterity the lineal honour pure and untar- 
nished as they had received it. He discovers that this 
sister has brought dishonour on her family, and the piece 
closes with her death after her lover has fallen by the hand 
of her brother. The principal characters were sustained 
by Mr. Phelps, Mr. Anderson, and Miss H. Faucitt, who 
were called for at the close of the play, together. with the 
author, to receive the applauses of the audience. 
Covent Garprn.—On Monday night the most for- 
midable uproar took place that has been known within the 
walls of a theatre for years—formidable, because there was 
nothing ironical on the part of the audience ; the expres- 
sion of feeling being one of unmitigated indignation: 
Scarcely any females were in the boxes, and though the 
house was thinly attended, there was from the first some- 
thing ominous in the appearance of the audience. The 
public had been made aware some days before, through 
the medium of advertisements, that on Monday evening 
Mr, Gregory, known to many as the editor of a weekly 
paper notorious for its attacks on private character, was 
to make his appearance upon the stage in the character 
of Hamlet, He accordingly did make his first, and, 
no doubt, his final appearance on that night. ‘The cur- 
tain rose, and the first scene, in which the ghost is visible 
to Horatio, was allowed to proceed quietly. The scene 
changed ; the King and Queen, followed by their retinue, 
entered in peace, but as soon as Hamlet, who is the last 
person in the procession, was seen, the audience broke 
out into a yell that surpasses description. Finding that 
the uproar did not abate, he commenced in the very midst 
of it his part of the performance. The first opening of 
his mouth seemed to call forth fresh elements of confu- 
sion. The play was, however, continued, but not a syl- 
lable was heard except the mingled hisses and groans of 
the audience; and the first act of Hamlet was, perhaps, 
for the first time, performed in dumb show. An attempt 
was made to proceed with the second act, but the uproar 
rather increased than diminished, and at length, finding 
it impossible to go on with the performance, Mr. Bartley, 
the stage-manager, came forward, but could not obtain 
a hearing, He was, however, understood to say he was 
satisfied that the majority of the audience were opposed 
to the continuance of the play, and that it should be 
instantly discontinued in obedience to their will. With 
this promise the audience appeared satisfied, and the up- 
roar ceased for a while. To occupy the intervening time 
before the ballet opera of The Maid of Cashmere, a part 
of the farce of Cousin Lambkin was played, but the con- 
fusion was still as great as ever, although it now aroge 
from a different quarter. A party of persons who are 
said to have attended in order to secure the triumph of 
Mr. Gregory, were determined that the substitute for 
Hamlet should be a failure. Mr, Bartley, however, per- 
severed, and finished the piece, although the dialogue, 
during the whole time, was completely inaudible. With 
this, however, the uproar ceased, and the rest of the per- 
ormances went on without interruption. 
SMPiscellaneous. 
Expedition to the South Pole.—Lieut. M’Murdo of 
the Terror has arrived in town from this expedition, which 
he left at the Falkland Islands, all well, and in the highest 
spirits. He reports that Captain Ross had triumphantly 
accomplished every object for which the expedition was 
undertaken, and that the Government at home, sensible 
of this, had left it entirely to Captain Ross’s discretion, 
as to his returning home at once or remaining out for a 
longer period, for the purpose of exploring other objects 
of interest in this hitherto imperfectly known portion of 
our globe ; that Captain Ross has made choice of the 
former, and that we may therefore expect the expedition 
home early in May. Lieut. M’ Murdo states, that in con- 
sequence of the excellent discipline observed on board the 
Erebus and Terror, and the great care and attention paid 
to the health of their respective crews, the expedition had 
lost but four men since leaving England, viz., one blown 
overboard in a gale at the Cape, another from some con- 
stitutional disease, and the other two from natural 
causes. Lieut. M’Murdo is also the bearer of several va- 
luable specimens of grapes and seeds, collected at the 
Falkland Islands and various other places in the southern 
hemisphere. It appears that Captain Ross has pene- 
trated the Antarctic Circle to 71° 40’, has surveyed the 
coast discovered by him along its western boundary, 
and hag proceeded to do the same along the eastern line. 
he Poet Laureate.—The following melancholy extract 
from a communication from Mrs. Southey (formerly well 
