The Express.
London, England, 1849-11-07 00:00:00

WEST FLANDERS RAILWAY.

The report of the directors, to b submitted to the share-
holders at the half-yearly meeting to-morrow, states that
the economy promised at the previous meetings hu been in-
creased since the last report. The expenditure for the
bslf-
year amounts to 4,8541., iced the receipts to 6,9871. leaving
a balance of 2,1331. to be carried to the account of profit
and loss. The directors draw the attention of the propni ton
to the small amount of expenditure incurred, as the en ire
service of nearly 33 miles, including every expense, amcunts
to 1471. per mile for the half year, whilst the directors hope
a still further reduction is in progress. The receipts of
the half year show au increase of 1,2731. over the preced-
ing one, and of 9681. over the corresponding halt jeer of
1848. As far as expertener, fouuded on the procure of
the months of September and October, eimbles the
directors to form an opinion, they state there is every
prospect of a larger receipt th.n in the correip widieg
half-year ending February, 1849. although it has been less
than in the halt-year ending February, 1848 Tie balance
of the operations of the last half-year exhibits a profit of
2,0731., out of which the directors recooamcnd a dividend of
Is 31. per share on 26,757 shares, leaving a balance of 4001,
which the directors propose to place to the reserve fund, malt-
ing, with27sl., the tamer balance, the sum of 6751, to meet
any unfurl-53*n emergency. The procerdings lull teed by
Mr. Pulsford still occasion considerable inconvenience to the
company, as the books and other documents remain in the
Court of Chancery. An amended bill hes been tiled, the
answer to which is now being prepared under the ina•ruc-
hens of the directors. The report of Mr. Chantrell, the
directors gerant, is appended without comment, and states
that the increase in the traffic over the corresponding six
months of 1848 amounts to 24,197 f. (9671.) or about 14 per
cent , and that the improvement bears aeon every branch of
the traffic. The facilities afforded to the public by the a. ree-
ment made with government on the 16th September, 1848,
continue to bring cons 'treble traffic over the line. The joint
traffic increases daily, and amounted to 67,477 f. (2,2951.)
during the put half-) ear. The health line from the station at
Bruges to the docks ts Belated, and will be opened for traffic
is a few due, which it is expected will serve to augment the
receipts. In the agreement nude lately between the Bel-
gian government and the Great Northern Railway of France,
she principle laid down in that company's sweetmeat of the
16th of September, 1848, with the Belgian government
(that all traffic should go over the line, when the distance by
so doing was shortened between the stations of Bragee and
Ostend, and any other of the governmei t statit ns) Ins been
carried out, and tickets will shortly be del vered from pineal
of the French stations to three of the West Flanders Rail-
way stations, u well as to Bruges and Ostend, and vies
versa. The permanent way has been, and Is, maintained in
a most efficient state ; and the working sta k is kept in ex-
cellent order. The servants of the company continue with-
' out exception to do their duty in the most praisewoithv
manner. The 'Labiate' on construction account are stated
co be 21,182 f. (8471.) The capital account to the 31st of
August shows that 369,6281. was called up, including 2,1261.
paid in advance of calls ; and that 327,0011. had been re-
ceived on shares, leaving arrears of calls to the ameunt of
42,6271. Tin construction account states that 343,76t1. had
been received, and 341.3971. expended, including 4331. ex-
pended during the half-year, leaving a balance at the
, bankers' of 2 3631. The traffic account showed that the re-
ceipts for the minth of March last amounted to 9931. for
, April, to 1,0561. ; May, to 1,3531. ; June, 1,0571 ; July,
' 1,2471. ; and in Au, est, to 1,2181. ; total for the six months,
r 6,9871. The expenditure amounted to 4,8541., leaving a
profit of 2,1331, out of which it is proposed to pay ls. 3d.
• per share on 26,767 shares, amounting to 1,6721.

THE LEICESTER MONUMENT.—This testimonial to
the memory of T. W. Cuke, Earl of Leicester, is progress-
ing towards completion at Norwich. Within the last few
days the inscription which occupies one of the four compart-
ments of the pedestal has been raised to its position ; it is
cast in bronze, the letters highly relieved, the measurement
being 171 t. 81n. in length by oft. gin. in height ; the veleta
one ton and a quarter. The folloni,g is a copy of the
inscription: " This column, in memory of Thomas Wane=
Coke, Earl of Leicester, for more than half a century the
faithful representative of this county in the House of Ctan-
mons : erected by subscription, origisating with the Yeo-
manry and supported by the noblemen and gentlemen of all
parties: records a life devoted to the welfare of his friends,
neighbours, and tenants. Of such a man oontempormies
needed no memorial. Hu deeds were before them; his praises
in their hearts. But it importspseterity to know that he pre-
eminently combined public services with private worth ;
affording an Usurious example of birth and station actuated
by duty, and inspired by benevolence. Integrity and inde-
pendence marked his political career—love, honour, and
regret attend the falser, friend, and landlord. The arts
lament in him a liberal and fostering patron : and agricul-
ture, to which from early manhood to the close of life he
dedicated time, energy, science, and wealth,—crowning
his cenotaph with her emblems,—cberishes the precedent
and commends the practice of her great promoter and
benefac•or." The other three sides of the pedestal are
occupied by sculpture. On one, parties are represented
signing a lease; the late earl being the prominent figure.
In another, there is a representation of one of the annual
sheep sheariogs at Holkham. The third represents the
late earl leaning on his favourite horse, hie favourite dog
by his side, and with his son and several of his tenants
surrounding him. The figures in this sculpture are all
portraits.—Mr. Mines, the sculptor engaged on the Nelson
statue to be erected in Norwich, is busily engaged in com-
pleting the sculpture for the Leicester monument.
CURE FOR DRUNKENNESS IN SWEDEN, The
Swedish government has just enacted certain laws eganst
drunkenness, which show the degree to which that disgust-
via has attained. For the first offence a fine of 15 rix-
dollars is imposed' for the second, 30 vie dollars; for the
third or fourth, the elective franchise and the privilege of
being elected a member of parliament are forfeited; and the
offender is moreover exposed in the pillory on the following
Sunday in front of the parish church. For the fifth offence
the culprit is immured in a house of correction for one year.
A person convicted of having induced another to drink to
excess pays 15 rix-dorars, sad 30 If the victim be a miner.
ACCIDENT TO A FEMALE EQUESTRIAN.—A deplora-
ble, if not fatal, accident has lust happened to fddlle. Tour-
:dr:l.riding since at
ob: Sweden, ewtar
maintain
took fright, whose
fy;
gieFtalehe22hl nt
:nu:
and dbl ul
pi aces
iu;18
became cirque,
emly.
dasuusauu dent": nm. aTea anninogfilua
unmanageable
aia the.alba nt
:the orw:f trews ea
sawallwill
shemc'ettthrown
enori nwit in::
with great force against the balustrade which separates the
circus from the pit, Sue was found to have received two
serious wounds on the head and a severe contusion on the
right shoulder. All possible attention was bestowed on
her, but, unfortunately, her life is still in danger.
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