The Express.
London, England, 1853-03-10 00:00:00

CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.

The half-yearly meeting of proprietors took plate
yesterday, at the Euston Terminus ; Mr. PRTO, M.P., in
the chair.
From the report, which was read by the secretary, it ap-
peared that the total income of the railway for the half-
year ending December 31,1862, amounted to 97,8091. lls. 6d.,
that of the corresponding half-year in 1851 having been
, 85,3471.6 e. 7d. ; while the charges in the former period
amounted to 66,0021. 6s. 10d., and in the latter to
40,7821. 6s. 4d. Under the head of steam-boats the receipts
in the half-year of 18.52 were 8,7341. 65. 7J., and the
charges 7,3981.2.. 71. ; in that of 18.51 the receipts were
9,9511. Is. 81., and the expenses 6,8051. 12s. Id. In. the
last half-year the number of passengers was 307,257, the
tonnage of goods 103,264 ; in the corresponding period of
1841, them items were rispestively 262.743 and 90,513. The
gross increase of receipts from traffic was, the report said,
11,2451. Bs. 10d., the increase on the railway being
12,4621. 4s. Ild., of which a portion must be attributed to
the opening of the line from Bangor to Carnarroo.. 8 de-
crease of 1,2161. 16s. Id. appeared on the steam.boat re-
ceipts, but the comparison u respected 1861 was with a
period during which the attractions of the Great Exhibi-
tion were drawing an unusual number of passengers
to London compared with the proceeds of 1850, the
results were satisfactory. The increase of expendi-
ture during the half-year amounted to 14,2201. ; but
ander this bead were included two items, which
did not appear in the corresponding entry for 1851,
being the amount estimated to be payable to the Bangor
and Cunarvon Company, and the extraordinary charges
incurred in opening the Irish merchandise traffic. With
respect to the latter item, the directors, with the view of
developing the resources of line, had resolved to extend
to goods traffic the system of through booking, which had
heretofore been confined to passengers. In carrying :tit
their views the directors had received cordial co-operation
from the London and North Western beard, but not from
the directors of the City of Dublin Stestu Packet Company.
The accounts showed a gross balance lo the credit of reve-
nue of 44,7461.45. Id. ; et, deducting 23,7731. 105. 6J. as
interest due on debentures, s nett balance iit 20,9721.135. 7d.;
from which the directors recommended that a dividend of
e., on and- after the 21st instant, and that the
Se. 3d. Per 1110.'re should be declared on the first preference
shares, p
belly.ete should be carried over to the next half-year.
able
A Puoratirrog inquired why the dividend was to be only
Bs. 3d., when the balance would give 90. 9d. ?
The CHAIRMAN said the directors would leave the ques-
tion to the meeting.
A motion was then carried for declaring a dividend of
9s: 9d. ; and, with that alteration, the report was adopted.
The retiring directors were re-elected ; sea Mr. E.
Humble, of Liverpool, chosen auditor in the room of Mr.
Prevost, deceased.
The meeting terminated with the usual vote of thanks to
the chairman.

THE SECOND WELLINGTON TESTIMONIAL INSTI-
TUTION, entitled "The Wellington and tiuited Service,"
seems likely to equal, if not outstrip, the one promoted by
the ex-Prime Minister, since its object is not confined only
to the officers of both services, but is intended for the relief
of veteran soldiers and sailors of the Fast India Company's
service, their orphans and widows, and the intention of the
promoter, is to erect an asylum, with almshouses attached,
bearing the name of " Wellington." The " men-at-
' arm."—the work'ng soldiers—certainly seem more legiti
mate objects of charity than their more arist icratic leaders,
who as a rule find their way into the service on the strength
of their purses.