The Express.
London, England, 1852-08-03 00:00:00

RAILWAY. _ _ _
Yesterday the half-yearly meeting of this company
was held et the Bridge House Hotel, London-bridge ;
Mr. 8. Lento, M.P., in the
The report, an abstract of which has already appeared
in the Express, was taken as read.
The CitAtiLMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
sold that the matter which was of the greatest importance
to them at present was the recon-truction of the Crystal
Palace at Sydeohem; and as thirwhole matter had been fully
discussed and explained to the proprietors on two former
occasions, it was unnecessary to occupy the time of the
meeting with any further observations upon the subject.
As to the traffic of the past helfyear, he thought it showed
a satisfactory result; and being the first half of the year, it
would be unnecessary to enter into any detailed statistics with
regard to it. It was only the result of the 12 months' traffic
that could be compared with preceding years, therefore it
could not be possible to enter into details as to the pro-
bable result of the year. Tho traffic for the past half-year
was about the same amount as that of tho corresponding
period of 1851 ; and when it was considered that this
company gained about 2,0001. by the Exhibition
arid that there was no diminution shown in the traffic of
the present year in conseqie lice of that increase, the result
woo sati.facto7 ; particularly as the Tunbridge Wells and
opening of the Hastings line, in the early part of the
wear, had affected the traffic to some extent, and also
uutavuurable state of the weather daring Epsom
races, by which latter event the comp: ay lost 2,t1001.,
in having less than usual traffic to that amount. The
general election, also, had affected the receipts, having the
tend,ocy of keeping people at home, instead of going
'Omni as usual. The directors considered that, under
these circumstances, it was satisfactory that the receipts
Of the past half-year had kept on a level with
those of the corresponding period of 1851. With re-
gard to the dividend of the second half of the present year,
he thought the proprietors could estimate that amount for
themselves. They would have to reserve 10,0001. out of
the traffic towards the extra expenditure on capital account
for accommodating the increased traffic, which amount was
the same as that reserved in 1850 and 1851. They would
thus be able to ascertain the dividend by watching the
traffic. He thought it probable that they would sustain a
loss in the traffic as compared with the corresponding
period of 1851, from the causes mentioned, but he did
not think it would exceed 15,000/. The falling.off on
their line would be comparatively light as compared with'
the felling-off on the other metropolitan lines, in con-
sequence of the Exhibition at the corresponding period
of 1851. He concluded by moving the adoption of the
report.
Mr &inserts seconded the motion.

After some discussion,-- -------
The report was unanimously adopted, and a divi-
dend at the rats of 11. 12s. per cent. fur the half year was
declared

The CHAIRMAN then moved 'resolution to the effect that
the directors be authorised to borrow any sum or sums not
tie...ding in the whole 195,0001.
Mr. SCHVIITZR seconded the motion.
Mr. HaIIArATH said he was opposed to mining up the
7.5,0001. for the Crystal Palace espenditure with that of
the railway company. Ile recorded his dismal to the
Illellllllrlr

1 he resolution wupat and cat ried.
On the motion of Mr. HEILAPATIf a TOO of thanks sou
pared to the chairman and directors.
The meeting then separated.

ST. HPLEN'ti CANAL AND RAlLWAY.—Yeatorday,
the halficarly general meeting of shareholder* in this
company took place in the board-room at St. Helen's, when
there was a more than usually numerous attendance of
proprietors. The proceedings were chiefly of a formal
character, although the interest in this undertaking hee
recently increased considerably, owirg to the extensive
works which have been made in connexion with the canal
and railway, by the formation of the new dock at Gersten ;
which will, when completed, afford an outlet to the ocean
for the valuable mineral productions of South Lancashire,
and the glass manufacture of St. Helen's. By connecting
the coal-fields of Wigan end the neighbourhood with the
Mersey, the St. Helen's Railway promises to be one of the
features of the railway system of the north of England,
and the formation of a line of rail from Gersten to Liver-
pool is already in contemplation. The accounts of the
company for the peat half year show that the canal traffic
had produced 7,2361., and the railway traffic, 12,3951. The
total working charges were 6,989/., lensing applicable for
dividends and interest the RUM of 12,6111, '1 he working
stock of the railway has been increased to 18 engines and
224 merchandise waggons, which, including carriages,
horses, is valued at 23.0521.

A VALUABLE CAROO.—The freight brought by
the West India mail steamer Orinoco, which arrived at
Southampton yesterday, wee the largest and most valuable
ever landed at that port. Independent of 109 penmen
and • very large general cargo, the veins of the precious
metals and precious stones on board of her amounted to
nearly 3,500,000 dollars. The value of the gold on board
wee about 440,000 dollars, the pouts and platina above
6,000 dollar., and the silver in bars and dollars nearly
3,000,000 dollars. The specie was in above 1,100 packsges,
and weighed about 80 tom. The freight of the specie
alone would amount to above 7,0001. As immense escort
woo required to guard through Mesita, the eonveyanee of
the 2,400,000 dollar*, consigned to Messrs. Baring by the
Mexican goveranient.
Mtattoas UPON LoconoTtves.—This plan appears
to leave been tried experimentally so far hack as 1849 on
the London and South Western Railway, bat was discon-
tinued on account of the mirrors being eaVellgted to &-
tract the attention of the driven, whose duty it is to look
aehead and of the guards to look fire and aft.