The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-25 00:00:00

NORTH DEVON RAILWAI AND DOCK.

Yesterday the half-yearly general meeting of the
proprietors was held at the London Tavern, Mr. W. Ter■
in the chsir.

The report stated that the contractor would be ready to
open the railway within the period limited by his contract,
viz., before the half-yearly meeting in February next. The
Bideford Extension Railway Company had obtained their
act for the construction of that line from Fremington Pill
(at the sea termination of the North Devon Railway) to
the town of Bideford—a distance of six miles. This eaten-
awn must prove a considerab:e feeder to the North Devon
' line ; and the two together would include, within their
respective termini, the shipping ports of Barestaple, Apple-
uore, and Bideford would accommodate an aggregate popu-
lation of 230,000, and connect a largadi rrr ict, hitherto
isolated, with the railway system throughout the kingdom.
The directors had arranged for the erection of the necessary
stations and other buildings for opening the railway, and
the contractor for working the line (Mr. Beauty) was also
making arrangements for the requisite plant. The per-
manent way was also being laid on several points of the
whole length of the line of thirty-five miles. Mr. Brao.sey
bad contracted for the completion of the extension in nine
months, and also to work it for the same period that he
worked the North Devon line. Thus the two lines, making
a total of 41 miles, would be in full operation next year,
with no competing line for the traffic of the district on
which they depended, embracing an area of from 30 to 40
square miles.
The CHAIRMAN moved, in the usual form, the adoption
of the report.
Mr. F. J. Lowe seconded the motion, which was at once
adopted, and the proceedings terminated.

The report of the directors, to be submitted to the
shareholders at the half-yearly meeting, to be held at the
Corn Exchange, Hanging Ditch, Manchester, on Wednes-
TIRE Foc.—During Tuesday night a dense fog, ap- day, the 31st day of August, contains the following
propriate to November but unusual in August, settled down passages :
in the valley of the Thames, and was the occasion of much " The directors now submit to the shareholders the usual
confusion and inconvenience, but fortunately not attended statement of accounts, for the half-year ending June 30,
with any accident. The above-bridge river boats did not 1833. The expenditure on capital account for that period
commence to ply so early in the morning as usual, from the amounts to 93,8721. 4s. 6d., as detailed in the accounts.
danger of navigation arising from the impenetrable mantle it is perhaps scarcely necessary to refer to the particular
which hung like a shroud over the river. As the morning items, further than to observe that the ordinary
constructed, and a further eztensioa In Amish is prop expendi-
advanced, the fog began gradually to vanish, and before 10 Lure under the head of stations, is increased by the sum
o'clock it hod disappeared altogether, and the sun broke of 23,090/. 14s. H extension from Longford to
. paid in settlement of a long pending MIDLAND GREAT
out in effulgent rays. From the suffocating heat and the claim, made by Messrs. Kirk and Parry, the contractors WE''Cla.Evlta:, 30 (lE
miles,l EiLAs about .
t ,Tosedhble
.
unhealthy state of the atmosphere for some days, the fog for the stations in Lincolnshire, and which sum has been SOUTII EASTERS.—A Lronsiderable increase of ac-
was expected, and created no surprise, and happily no ac- awarded to them by the arbitrator to whom the question commodation is to be tarried out, by the enlargement of this
cadent. was referred. The receipts for goods continuo steadily to company's statiP.o at New Cross.

TRH PLYMOUTU GREAT wEsrmv DOCKS.

The half-yearly ordinary meeting of this company
was to be held on Weduewhy afternoon at Millbey, when
the following reports would he prr.ented

Dittectutta' itryottr.
Comparative Statement M It ,venue.
1819, June 30.. £57 13 6 1649, Dec. 31.. £598 6 2
1850 ~ 791 2 3 118,50 979 12 4
1861 „ 1,290 2 0 118.51 „ 1,614 9 2
1852 ~ 1,604 11 2 18.52 1,531 310
1853 1,636 13 11
Notwithstanding the limited space within which the
trade of the docks is still carried on, and which has been
still further circumscribed by the damage sustaked by the
pier, in consequence of the severe storm on the 27th of
December last, the directors are happy to at ite that the
revenue somewhat increased in the last half-year, during
which a lerger amount has been realised than at any corres-
pending period since the formation of the company. The
Pontoon is now in full operation, and has been found to
give most ifilcient assistarce for the despatch cf business.
The contractors, Messrs. Hutchinson and Ititson, are mak-
ing very satisfactory progress with the works generally, as
will appear from the accompanying report of the engineer.
The suggestion made by the engineer with reference to the
possibility of making further provision, in the outer har-
bour, for the accommodation of large steamers, is one of the
greatest importance, and will receive the most anxious con-
sideration of the directors. The amount received for coils
on the new shares would have been considerably more but
for an arrangement mode with the contractor=' who have
taken a certain number of new shares, the call, tin which
will be duly accounted for in the payments which will be
made to them on account of their contrect.

HARRIS, Chairman.
Plyar.uth, August 20, 18.53.
ENGINEER'S REPORT.

_........._........ ...... „....
18, Duke-street, Westminster, August 19, 1853.
Gentlemen,—Soon after the date of the last half-yearly
report, the repairs of the dam were completed, and the
water was removed from the site of the inner basin. This
dam, which waste bold attempt, suggested by the contrac-
tors, and which. in its execution, does them great credit,
has hitherto been perfectly successful. By means of it,
the deepening of the basin, the excavation for the found.s.
lions, and the construction of the wall", sewers, and other
works, have been most effectively carried on. The progress of
the excavation has been rapid, about one-third of the
entire quantity having been executed. The unexpected
opportunity which the efficiency of the darn offers, of
excavating the outer basin, and generally lowering
the level of the dock., so as to make them accessible at all
times of tide, is of such vast impertance under the now
altered aspect which steam navigation daily assume', thit
it is well worth the con,,ideration of the company,
whelier such an opportunity should he lost, or whether the
great increase of accommodation that might now he Fecund,
would not amply repay the increased cost of such an exten-
sion of the original plans. The western sewer, about 'AO
feet in length, has been built, and a part of the eastern, or
leat culvert. About GOO feet run of the duck walls has
been raised to nearly half of their height—the total length
of dock-wall included in the contract being about 2,700
feet. The progress of the masonry has not been so great as
could have beers desired, in consequence of the difficulty of
procuring masons. Materials fur the graving dock are
now, however, being brought from Portland, and by this
and other measures it is hoped the difficulty trt.ey be over-
cove, and the progress of the work accelerated. The
several additional works on the pontoon required by the
trade are completed, and the grea: advantages of a floating
pier in a ti. al basin, have become apparent ; the time
thus saved in loading and unloading vessels having even
exceeded our expectations. The repairs of Milbay Pier
have unavoidably been deferred, in order that vesselsmight
be accommodated there during the progress of these addi-
tional works; the latter being finished, she contractor is
endeavouring to place the pier in a secure cundition before
the winter. The proposed repairs will be of the same de-
scription as those which were formerly executed, and
which have aot sustained the smallest oamege from the
violent gales to which they have been exposed.

I. K. BILUNEL.
In the revenue account the receipts on the hall-year have
been 2,7501. 6s. 10d. ; and the balance carried to the neat
half year 9861. Os. 7d. The balance brought over at the
last half-year, and included in the above receipts, was
1,1131. 12a. lid.