A meeting of noblemen and gentlemen connected with Ireland was
held on Thursday, at the Thatched Muse Tavern, for the purpose of concerting measures with Government for the establishment of a general board or Committee, to whom all plans for Irish railways might be referred before bills to carry them into effect were presented to Parlia- ment ; in order thereby to prevent litigation and the clashing of differ- ent projects. it was also proposed that the Board should examine the Southern and Western coasts of Ireland, with a view to the selection of the best railway lines. Resolutions to effect this object were agreed to ; but the Drogheda and Dublin Railway Bill, now in progress, is not to be affected by them. Among the chief persons who attended this meeting, were the Duke of Leinster, (who presided,) the Marquis of Devonshire, the Marquis of IVestmenth, Lord Charlemont, Mr. O'Connell, Mr. G. A. Hamilton, Dr. Lefroy-, and Lord Clonmel.
At a meeting of the London Dock Company, on Tuesday, the Se- cretary presented the following statement of the tonnage of the vessels entering the docks in the four half-years ending 31st May in 1833, 1834, 1835, and 1836.
For the half-year ending May 31, 1833, 55,185 tons; for ditto, 1831, 68,404 tons; for ditto, 1835, 74,595 tons. The average of these three half-years would be 67,061 tons. The amount of tonnage which had entered the Docks during the present half-year, ending May 31, 1836, was 69,418 tons. The earnings of the Docks were, in the three half-years ending 31st May in each year, on an average 119,307/. ; and for the half-year ending 31st last they amounted to 128,000/, being an increase of 9,500/. on the average before- 'mentioned."
These are facts which, with many others, contradict the statements constantly made of the decline of the shipping interest consequent on the repeal of the old Navigation-laws.
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