TO THE SHAREHOLDERS IN THE GREAT NORTH OF ENGLAND RAILWAY COMPANY. ENTLEMEN,-The Committee appointed at the

ultimo, have received three Circulars in reference to the Address which they felt it their duty to issue-one from Joseph Pease, jun., Esq., the Treasurer of this Company, another from the Directors of the Stockton and Darlington Railway Company, and a third from your own Directors.

We have little to say in reply to the two first-mentioned documents. They do not contradict one statement in our Address; and instead of fully meeting our charges, rather evade than unswer them; yet their language is temperate and courteous, and such as we have neither right nor inclination to object to.

The third document is of a very different description. It is a gratuitous interference by your Directors, as unwise as it is insulting-an attempt to prejudice our characters with the distant shareholders who do not know us-imputing to us improper motives-insinuating that our interests are inimical to your own, and that we have objects in view at variance with the general good. The only reply which we shall condescend to make to this document is-that we deny alike the open charges and the secret insinuations with which it is filled. WE SHALL ATTEND THE ENSUING GENERAL MEETING, READY TO SUBSTANTIATE EVERY CHARGE WHICH WE HAVE MADEPREPARED TO REPEL EVERY ACCUSATION WHICH MAY BE BROUGHT AGAINST US.

We briefly recapitulate these charges. Their object was to show the necessity of your having a Directory composed of gentlemen independent of any Company whose interests were' opposed to yours.

Four of your Directors were also Directors of the Stockton and Darlington Railway Company. We showed you that these gentlemen had asked and obtained your consent unanimously to the line of the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway, and to the guarantee to its shareholders of £6 per cent. per annum for ten years; but before they asked that consent, their Engineer was engaged in surveying another line, by which a portion of their own railway would be brought into use-which plan was not, and has never yet been, submitted for your consideration.

That by a Circular issued to the shareholders they endeavoured to prevent them from subscribing to the Junction Line, and to injure that line in their estimation.

That they opposed the Bill of that Company openly in the House of Lords and covertly in the House of Commons.

That they endeavoured, by private negotiation, to induce the Junction Company to adopt their plans.

That, failing in all these attempts, they had given notice of their intention to apply to Parliament for an Act to construct their line, which, if they succeeded, could only be a competing line to the Junction Railway.

We ask you to consider the effect which this plan, if successful, would have had upon your interests.

If the competing line had been formed, and had carried off

a considerable portion of the traffic on the Junction Line, your guarantee of £8,000 per annum would have to be paid. Your dividends would be destroyed. The parties who have lent money to your Company would have become clamorous for its payment; and your shares, at present much reduced in price, would then have been entirely valueless.

We are happy, therefore, to announce, (and this fact affords at once the strongest justification of our conduct, and is a sufficient reward for all the obloquy with which we have been assailed,) that the only two questions on which we pledged ourselves by our resolutions, have been almost entirely ceded.

THE COMPETING LINE IS ABANDONED: ALL THE GENTLEMEN WHO WERE DIRECTORS OF BOTH COMPANIES HAVE EITHER RESIGNED THEIR SEATS, OR WILL DO SO IN FEBRUARY NEXT. Our suggestions as to the reduction in the number of Directors, and the manner in which they should be elected, will sooner or later be adopted; but our chief objects being thus gained, we saw no necessity for further agitating the Company. We have asked no one for his proxy. We shall ask no one. Strong in the confidence of truth, we shall be at our posts at the meeting in February, to defend our conduct from any attack which may be made against us. On the result of that meeting our further proceedings will depend. But whenever our duty shall require us again to interfere for the prevention of injury to the Company, having no interest to support but the interests of all, no object but the general good, we shall not hesitate again to address you, indifferent to the reproach, and regardless of the aspersions, which may again be unjustly attempted to be cast upon us.

Signed on behalf of the Committee.

JOSEPH WATSON, Honorary Secretary.

January 1st, 1843.

THE NEWCASTLE TOWN COUNCIL. P THOMAS DUNN, Esq., Mayor.

ALDERMEN. Batson, T. R. pBell, Thomas

Bigge, C. J.

p Brandling, J. p Carr, John p Donkin, A. p Dunn, G. T. p Fife, John Headlam, Dr. p Hodgson, J. Lamb, Joseph p Losh, James p Potter, A. L. p Ridley J.

p Nichol, John p Ingledew, H.

Straker, G.

p Story, Wm. Radford, J.

COUNCILLORS. p Gray, A. G. p Shield, Henry St. Nicholas'. p Sanderson, F. p Turner, Wm. p Jobling, M. L. St. John. p Taylor, F. p Nichol, A.(J.P.)p W. All Saints. p Ormston, J. p Parker, A. p Sillick, J. p Carr, J. T. p Proctor, W. B. Р Johnson, J. E. All Saints. p Ridley, John Hunter, John

p Plues Matthew p Charnley, E p Mitchell, W. A. p Burrell, I. Westgate.

p Hawthorn, R. Finlay, James

p Preston, J. H. Jesmond.

p Harle, W. L. p Robinson, R. p Stokoe, S. N. St. Andrew. p Archbold, J. p Philipson, R. P. p Keenlyside, T. p Dodds, Ralph p Blackwell, J. 8. St. Andrew. p Armstrong, W. p Weatherley,J.Dp Lowrey, S. p Plummer, R. [Those marked p were present.] p Crawhall, J. p Richardson, W. JAN. 11.-The Council met to-day.-Frances Stoddart, aged 63, was selected from 12 candidates, to fill a vacancy in the Hospital for Unmarried Women.-Ald. DUNN stated, that at the next meeting the sum of £50 would be available as a loan to some member of the Merchants' Company.

A recommendation of the River Committee, for permission to Messrs. Smith to build a quay at St. Peter's, was sent over to the

next meeting, that, in the mean time, a Report made by Mr. W. A. Brooks, the Corporation Engineer, on the whole subject of the river Tyne, might be printed and distributed. The proposed quay, it was urged, formed part of Mr. Brooks's plans; and these plans were founded on principles that were new to the Council, and ought not to be hastily adopted.

On the motion of Ald. DUNN, a Report from the Finance Committee, asking for power to summon a jury for assessing the value of Mr. Ewart's property at the North Shore, was confirmed, (the said property being required for the purposes of the new quay).

The Report of the Gaol Committee was confirmed, on the motion of Ald. Losн. [This Report, it will be recollected, was hostile to the alterations suggested by the Government agent, Major Jebb, and supported by the Borough Magistrates, for purposes of separation and classification. The Gaol Committee objected to the great expense-which might possibly soon be rendered unnecessary, by the adoption of some system of central and general imprisonment.]

Ald. HODGSON (in answer to Mr. HARLE) entered into an explanation of the case of "mutiny in gaol," more than once alluded to in the Newcastle Journal and Gateshead Observer. [The statement of the worthy Alderman wes in perfect accord. ance with that published in our paper, and showed the Journal to have been guilty of a "villainous misrepresentation."]

Ald. DUNN presented the Treasurer's bill of payments for the year 1842, amounting to £13,522 10s. 2d., and moved that it be passed by the Council.-Agreed to.

The River and Finance Committees presented a joint-report, recommending permission to be granted to the owners of Cramlington colliery to make certain improvements at their staiths at Howdon, and to land and convey ballast behind their quay, at the rate of 8d. per ton. Confirmed.

Ald. RIDLEY presented a report on the memorial of William Joseph Thompson, praying that a ship be permanently moored on the river Tyne, for the purposes of an hospital, police establishment, &c. The River Committee were of opinion it would be attended with great inconvenience if a ship were kept permanently moored in the river: they therefore recommended that the prayer of the petition be not complied with.-Confirmed.

Mr. PLUMMER called the attention of the Council to the fact that the Scarborough Pier Commissioners were applying for an Act in regard to their passing toll-an application which ought to be carefully watched by the Council.

The Town Improvement Committee reported in favour of removing the Grammar School to Forth House. The tenants of that house had received notice to quit at May, that the proposed removal might be made, if the Council concurred with the Committee.-Report received.

The Gaol Committee made a Report on the memorial of an association formed to promote an asylum for discharged juvenile prisoners. The Committee coincided in opinion with the memorialists, and suggested that the Council, with the adjoining counties, should address the Home Secretary on the subject.Mr. A. NICHOL, J.P., promised to prepare a memorial by the next meeting.

Ald. DUNN's motion, excluding Select Committees from the control of the standing orders, which render Committees open to the whole Council, was seconded by Mr. J. T. CARR, and passed.

Mr. PLUES moved a grant of £100 to the local soup-kitchens, which was seconded by Mr. PRESTON.-Carried by 19 votes against 14,

For the Grant.-Aldermen Bell and Dunn; and Councillors Ingle dew, J. Nichol, Harle, Robinson, Storey, Plues, Charnley, Burrell, Ormston, Crawhall, Turner, Weatherley, Jobling, Taylor, Dodds, Preston, and Plummer.

Against the Grant.-The Mayor; Aldermen Fife, Hodgson, Ridley, and Losh; and Councillors Mitchell, Carr, Proctor, Ridley, Lowrey, A. Nichol, Pihllipson, Keenlyside, and Armstrong.

Mr. HARLE's motion, that the Town Clerk be requested to lay before the Council his account, up to the present period, for defending the Jesus' Hospital suit, was seconded by Mr. JOBLING, and carried.

Mr. MITCHELL postponed his motion on the property and income tax.-Adjourned.

THE RIVER TYNE.

MR. W. A. BROOKS, Engineer to the Corporation of New castle, has made an important Report to the River Committee,

which was produced at the last meeting of the Town Council, held on Wednesday, the 11th Jan. This Report is of great interest, and we are therefore happy that we can lay a copy of it before our readers :

TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE RIVER COMMITTEE.

SIR,-In pursuance of the resolution of your Committee, I have delineated upon the accompanying chart of the river Tyne the works which have been already executed, as well as those which, in my humble opinion, will be found necessary to be constructed, in order to effect the required improvement of the navigation of the river.

It appears that when the late Mr. Rennie was called upon to give his views for the improvement of the Tyne, its banks were not at that time so much covered with manufactories, commercial establishments, and coal staiths, as we find them at the present day; and it was probably owing to that cause that we find, on several portions of his plan, evidence of his opinion that the establishments which existed were not of sufficient importance to cause him to revolve in his mind whether the removal of the shoals could not be effected by a different disposition or arrangement of the works to form the improved sailing course. Hence we find, upon Mr. Rennie's survey, only two shipping places for coal on the long line of shore between Howdon and Hay Hill Point, where at present there are eleven staiths, the whole of which would have to be carried out into the river for an average length of 363 feet, in order to reach the line of northern shore proposed by Mr. Rennie. Now if it were really essential, in this instance, to adhere to the above line of northern shore, in order to effect the general improvement of the navigation, there could be no impropriety in calling upon the seve ral proprietors of the above staiths to extend them to the line on Mr. Rennie's plan.

From the commencement of my duties as Engineer to the Corporation, my earnest attention has been given to this question; and the conclusion I have arrived at is, that it is not, in this division of the river, at all requisite to adhere to the shore lines marked out by Mr. Rennie, between the works at Willing. ton and Hay Hill Point. All that is truly requisite for the improvement of the navigation here, is to fully carry out his principle of leading the currents of ebb and flood into a single channel.

This object may be effected without prejudicing the establishments between the works at Willington and Hay Hill Point, and also without interfering with the docks at South Shields and Howdon.

The blue lines on the accompanying plan, represent the improved navigable channel, which I have the honour to be allowed to submit as a substitute for the channel described by Mr. Rennie, in this division of the river.

I have the satisfaction of being able to call your attention to the circumstance that I have shown upon the accompanying plan, that this deviation can be effected without making any sacrifice ofthe navigable advantages, which would undoubtedly be also obtained by Mr. Rennie's design, supposing the increased expenditure, which must be incurred to carry out the latter, were not an object.

I am of opinion that the design, which I beg leave to substi tute, can be carried into effect at less than one half of Mr. Rennie's.

By the arrangement proposed in the accompanying plan, it will not be necessary for the Corporation to construct any works on the north shore of the river, between Howdon and White Hill Point; whereas, to carry into execution the views propounded by Mr. Rennie, it would be requisite to construct the works planned by that eminent Engineer for both shores.

By the adoption of Mr. Rennie's plan, a new line of shore must be formed considerably in advance of the docks at South Shields, below Jarrow Slake, as well as in front of the dock at Howdon; but by the execution of the plan which I have submitted, the docks in question cannot be affected.

WILLINGTON QUAY.

Higher up the river, the next shipping establishment which will be affected by my plan is that on Willington Quay, the property of the Corporation, which, by either of the above referred to designs, must be carried further out, or into the true run of the tide.

HEBBURN AND WALKER.

In the neighbourhood of Hebburn staith, as well as for the whole course of the river, as far as Mr. Reay's quay at Walker, it will be seen by the accompanying plan, as well as by my Report to your Committee of the 29th September, that I consider it advisable to adhere generally to Mr. Rennie's line of new northern shore, the only alteration of which will be a slight modification, in order to obtain a proper connection between Mr. Rennie's general design, and the alterations proposed by me for the channel below Willington.

WALKER AND BILL-POINT REACH.

A deviation is necessary to be made in Mr. Rennie's line for the north shore of the reach between Walker and Bill Point. This line of shore should form a tangent to the great curve connecting it with the Willington reach, which is the only practicable means for improving this division of the Tyne.

BILL POINT.

At Bill Point an important improvement has been already effected, so far as regards the diminished risk of vessels encoun. tering each other on sailing round the Point; but I have to report that the navigation itself has become still more tortuous than formerly, owing to the want of the simultaneous construction of groins or jetties, from the shore of the Corporation estate above the Point.

So difficult is the present navigation of this part of the river, that for the prevention of damage to each other's vessels, a mutual agreement appears to have been established among the masters of the steam-boats, that only one vessel at a time shall pass through the narrow and tortuous channel above the Point. This is a portion of the river which I beg respectfully to press upon the immediate attention of the River Committee.

On reference to Mr. Rennie's plan, I find that it was designed to construct five stone groins in the bight formed by the north shore above Bill Point, in addition to four groins on the opposite shore. If, however, the whole of these nine groins were -executed, the obstruction to the navigation would remain in the shape of the great sand-bank which now stretches over fivesixths of the high water width of the river. The flood and ebb currents would still continue to run in different channels.

In this portion of the river, I recommend the construction of the three jetties delineated on the accompanying plan, which will rapidly scour away the shoal by their direction upon it of the strength of the ebb, and, at the same time, will procure an easier sailing course round the Point than could be produced by the plan proposed by Mr. Rennie.

SAINT ANTHONY'S.

At Saint Anthony's it will not be necessary to encounter a twentieth of the expense which would have to be incurred in carrying out Mr. Rennie's design, which here requires the removal of a considerable portion of the Point and north shore land and houses.

I do not consider it advisable to undertake any works on this north shore at Saint Anthony's, as a deeper and easier navigable channel can be procured, at a small expense, by the construction of the jetties laid down on the accompanying plan, in the bight formed by the opposite or southern shore. These jetties will have the effect of removing the shoals at Saint Anthony's; but it is, however, probable, that the valuable quay accommodation which will be obtained by the adoption of this new line of southern shore, will induce the proprietors of the latter to petition the Corporation for leave to construct quays in lieu of the above proposed jetties. Upon this view, I am in hopes that it will not be necessary for the Corporation to make any disbursements for the improvement of the navigation between Saint Anthony's and Friar's Goose Points.

DENT'S HOLE AND SAINT PETER'S.

At St. Peter's, the commencement of an improved navigation has been effected, by the construction of several handsome stone quays on the north shore; and a still more important work is now under the consideration of your Committee, in an application from Messrs. Thomas & William Smith, to construct an extensive quay at Dent's Hole, which, if carried into effect, will remove a considerable portion of the great shoal at Saint Peter's,

increase the extent of deep-water berths in Dent's Hole for vessels of large draught, as well as remove the latter more out of the navigable track.

The entire removal of the great shoal at St. Peter's cannot, however, be procured without the construction of additional jetties or groins on the opposite concave shore, as advised by Mr. Rennie; but those groins will have to be extended to the blue line on the accompanying plan-the views entertained by Mr. Rennie for the removal of the greater portion of the ground and rock covered by the Friar's Goose alkali works, quays, ballast hill, &c., not being, in my humble opinion, practicable, on account of the great outlay which would have to be incurred by an object of at least questionable advantage, inasmuch as the removal of the quays, &c., would still leave a rocky bed.

NEWCASTLE REACH.

Mr. Rennie's plan requires the removal of a considerable extent of the shore on the south side of the river, opposite Ouseburn; but as this portion of the navigation is already sufficiently easy, and comparatively deep, I do not perceive the necessity of any expenditure upon it, except for the improvement of the quays, and to obtain deep water berths in front of them.

GENERAL REMARKS.

For the improvement of the navigation between Newcastle and Shields, so far as regards the removal of the shoals, and the straightening of the navigable channel, by the construction of jetties, to bring the currents of the flood and ebb to run in the same bed, the entire expenditure will scarcely exceed £17,000, as per annexed approximate estimate; upon which, however, I place considerable reliance, as it is based upon extensive experience, and there being, in my opinion, a reasonable prospect of obtaining materials at a cheaper rate than for those works from which my data have been obtained.

On the completion of the jetties which I have in this Report recommended, I feel confident that the trade of the port will derive very great and almost immediate advantages; for not only will the shoals of the Tyne be scoured away, but a general reduction or lowering of the bed of the river, and consequent depression of the latter's low water surface, will take place; and the result will be, that vessels of much greater draught than at present will be enabled to sail up to the quay at Newcastle.

In the improved state of the navigation of the Tyne, consequent upon the construction of the above-described works, there will not be found to exist a difference of more than eighteen inches between the rise of tide at Newcastle, and that which takes place at Shields; so that, with a flow of 15 feet at the latter place, there will be 13 feet 6 inches at Newcastle; and if to the latter be added the available depth at low water which will be obtained by the improvement, think it quite reasonable to expect that the proposed outlay of £17,000 will enable vessels of 17 feet draught of water to reach with facility the quay at Newcastle, in ordinary spring tides.

I consider it advisable that the works for the removal of the shoals from the bed of the Tyne should take precedence of the construction of any very considerable extension of new quay; because the removal of the shoals, and consequent depression of the low-water line, will enable the masonry of additional quays to be founded at a lower level, and with consequent diminished cost and increased stability.

On the completion of the long jetties at Wallsend, now on the point of being constructed, and for the materials and labour for which you have, Sir, entered into contracts below my estimate, I beg to be allowed to recommend the attention of the Committee to the construction of the jetties delineated on the plan in the vicinity of the Heaton, Wallsend, and Killingworth staiths, which, on an estimate founded on the present sections of the channel, will require an outlay of £1,584, but which will, in my opinion, be executed at a cost of about £1,000, by reason of the rapid deposit which will be produced on the construction of the jetties, already ordered to be proceeded with. This deposit on the sites of the proposed jetties will diminish the quantity of materials which would otherwise be required, supposing that they were proceeded with without regard to the useful effect which may be produced by a judicious arrangement of the order of procedure in the construction of the jetties.

In a previous division of this Report, I have urged the necessity for immediately constructing three jetties in the bight of the north shore above Bill Point, the cost of which, as per annexed estimate, will be £845.

I feel assured, Sir, that the advantages which will be imme