The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-02-14 00:00:00

ilailtoag, Enttlligenct.

LONDON AND SOUTHAVESTERN.

The report of the directors of this company states
that the net revenue for the six mobile ending
December 31, 19. after deducting intermit on Mans,
stud all other preferential charges. amounted fo £391,61:3,
and the surplus at the 30th of Juno last to £1,119,
'leaking the balance available for dividend £192.782.
From this aunt the dire:tura recommend • dividend to
be deelarisl at the rate of £.5 Si. per cent. pa an 1111 l n,
payable on the 2.1ril inst., amounting on £7,197,555 of
11.1.1 up capital to 1:164,944, leaving a balance of E 3,2136.
The total receipts on 139 'Mien for the past half-year
amounted to 1:511.1.970, the working expensea to £229,469.
the taxation to 1:25,241, and the net jesenue to £265.1510;
and on 2c4il mile. for the cerreepou.ling half of 1853,
the total reveille pommelled to £4414,661, the workin
expenses to £177,722. the taxation to £t2,f132, and the
net r,:vestue to L513,1E:A showing an incmese in tins
mileage of 511 miles, iii the total receipts of £51,304. iii
the working eApeneell of £51.747, awl ni the taxation of
359, but csausoug a decrease in the net revenue of
• £2.799. The increase in the working expenses anise
. froin the greater number of miles run by the trains
• during the last half-year, being 206,290, and from the
additional staff employed at the various new stations,
while the traffic on the new lines could not have been
developed. Tiiece was also an increased charge fur the
maintenance of the new lines. A considerable portion
of the increased traffic had been carnet on the old lines.
, A large portion of the traffic over the new Port...mouth
line, and to tile Isle of Wight, for the first six weeks; of
the half-year, during the competition with the Brighton
, Company was carried at ruinously low fares, causing a
serious loss to the company. The traffic returns since
the commencement of the present year continued to
increase over those of the corresponding period in 18:e
on the same extent of mileage in both periods.. The
eon of 1:14,291 was charged against revenue during the
half-year fur the renewal of part of the pernienant way,
of which anus 1:9,524 was brought forward from the
preceding half-year. There had now been expended on
this account during the last nine year,' upwards of I
1:107,400, the whole of which had been charged against
revenue, at an average of £11,940 per annum. During
the last few years, however, that average had been
much exceeded. The resident engineer having lately
called the attention of the Beard to the great additional
wear and tear of the hue in consequence of the iecreased
traffic end weight of engines and speed of trains on the
inaM lines, the directors resolved, as • matter both of
expediency and economy, at once to relay all such parts
of the line where necessary, with additional sleepers and
deli-jointed rails. The directors recommend that the
future expenditure on this head be carrittl to "Cie
renewal a permanent way tteLoUllt," anal that there be
charged against revenue ill e.Wil future half-year a Alloi
of £lO,Ol/11 towards its liquidation, until the whole
expense incurred be exhausted. The repairs to the
rolling attack hail been fully maintained dunng the pest
year at the expense in revenue, and much uf the older
portion of it had been converted from • superior into
second and third clan, as it bad been sent in for repairs,
and otherwise improved. The heavy works at the
tunnel below Gillingham had delayed the further open-
ing of the Salisbury and Yeovil line to Yeovil, but the
directors; were now coulidently assured that these works
would lie completed an as to admit of the line being
opened throughout in April next. The traffic over the
portion already evened was satisfactory, and would no
doubt prove Wore ho when the whole length was fluiebel.
The Exeter Extension line was also nearly completed,
anal the station buildings were in progreas. Die com-
pany continued to be on terms of amity with the
Brighton Company, and it would be the study of the
directors to maintain the most friendly relations with
them and their other neighbour-t. Time company would
appeal to Parliament for protection against such unneces-
sary meabures as the contemplated extension of the
Andover Canal Railway from Redbridge to Southaanp-
ton, of the Dorset Central Railway to Poole, and of the
Farehaui and Southampton Railway. The capital ac-
count showed that £30,610,05e had been received and
£10,633,876 expended, including £257,766 during the
Is ill-year, leaving a balance of £ff3,788 against the
company. The total expenditure on the Yeovil and
Exeter Extension amounted to £669,887.