The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-08-21 00:00:00

BRISTOL AND EXETER.

The accounts and report for the half-year ending the
20th of June last were issued on Friday last. The
capital account shows no variation in the consolidated
stock, which remains at £4,022,460. There has been an
increase of I:44i,Mt in the preference stock, and •
decrease of E 41,364 in debentures. A large proportion
of the debenture debt became due in June last, and
consisted principally of 44 per cent, debentures, which
have all been either discharged or renewed at the
reduced interest of 4 per cent. The average rate of
interest on the debenture debt is 410 per cent., while
the average rate payable on the total preferential charge
is reduced to 414 per cent. Of the total amount
, raised, 151,212 remains unexpended. The sum of
I £19,729 has been expended on capital account, in
purchase of land, additions to carriage and wagon
stock, workshops, locomotive machinery, Ice. and
£4,006, expended in additional works, is charged to
main line. The gross revenue from all sources
for the past half-year has been £176,047 :
working expenses, £89,427 ; showing a balance of
£8,620. As compared withthe corresponding half of 1859
there has been an increase of I:10,23 in the gross
receipts, of E 9,622 in the working expenses, and MI
in the balance. The increase in the gross revenue is
derived from passengers, goods, parcels, and mails ; and
under the head of the Exeter and Credit-on line, rents,
and sundries, there has been a slight decrease. The
balance of revenue account, including 1:13,557 brought
forward from the previous half-year, is £61,556, and the
directors recommend a dividend at the rate of 6 per
cent. per annum, carrying forward • balance of £BB2 to
the next account. A sum of £20,000 has been advanced
for South Devon Railway Company's additional shares,
bearing fixed preferential interest. It is expected that
the Bristol and Exeter traffic will derive great advan-
tage from the doubling of the South Devon line, for
which purpose the additional shares have been created.
The report of Mr. Francis Cox, engineer, announces
that the state of the permanent way and works is satis-
factory. The capital account shows that £3,924,288, had
been received and £3,3'22.079 expended on the line,
works, and stock, and £450,967 invested in shares of
other companies, leaving a balance of £151,242,

i
1 SALISBURY AND YEOVIL RAILWAY.
Tire half-yearly meeting of tins company was held on
Friday at the office, Leadenball-street, Mr. J. Chap-
man in the chair.
The leport stated that the traffic returns furnished
by the South-Western Company for the half year chili ni;
the :gltli ~f June amounted to 1:6,532, the working
expenses to £i,n9l, leaving t:J,341 ; to this was added
rebate on London traffic, from the opening of the line
to Oillingliam, to the titli of May last (twelve
months), 1:3,078, making 111,415. The railway
between Gillingham and Sherborne (twelve miles)
wax opened on the 7th of May, and that between Slier
-
borne and Yeovil (6 inikol on the lot of June. The
Yeovil and Exeter Extension line was opened on the
15th of July for passenger traffic only. The railway
was now worked and maintained by the South-Westerti
Company at .12i per cent, of the traffic receipts. The
joint station at Yeovil had been commenced, and the
directors were satisfied that a large accession •if traffic
would result from the completion of the station accom-
modation. The capital account showed that £446,00S
I had been received, and £538,354 avended, leaving a
[ balance nptinst the coinpany of 292,3(6.
' 'The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report,
said they hoped to have no full settlement with the con-
tractor by the next half-yearly meeting, and the
expenditure on capital account RO far defined as to leave
the balance of revenue in future available for dividend.
Their pnwpects with regard to traffic were very favour-
able. 011.1 io• 'loped they would Mien something for
die a' eta ..11 the le ,t occasion.
The report was then adopted, the meeting was made
special, and, on the motion of the Chairman, the direc-
thee were sethorixesl to raise .C 150,11110 by the issue of
new F. per cent, preference sharer of 1.-21(iacii.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the pro-
ceedings.