The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-05 00:00:00

TRAFFIC RETURNS.

The traffic returns of railways in the United
Kingdom fur the week ending the 29th of December
amounted to 483,4451., and for the correspond ing week
of last year to 463,6101.. showing an increase of 17,83 M.
The groan receipts of the eight railways having their
termini in the metropolis amounted to t. 432,142/. and
for the corresponding week of DM to 202,736!., showing
a decrease of 594/. The decrease on the London
and North• Western Railway amounted to 6,0111. ;
on the Loudon and Blackwell to 111. ; and on the
South Eastern to 1741. ; total, 6,196/. But from this mask
be deducted 1,296/., the increase on the Eastern Counties -
2,1161. on the Great Northern ; 469 f. en the Great Were-
ern ' • 1,1671. on the London, Beigliton, and South Coast ;
sod 5631. on the London and South AS astern; together T.,602/.;
leaving the decrease, as above, 5941. The receipts on
the other lines in the 'United Kingdom amounted to
281,31 W., and for the aorresponding week of last year to
262,874/., showing an increase of 16,429!., from which
must be deducted the decrease on the metropolitan lines,
leaving the total increase 17,8334, as compared with the
corresponding week of 1619.
The traffic receipts on railway. in the United Kingdom
for the year 1660 amounted on 10,270 mil.. to 27,576,7881..
and for the year 1613, on 9,880 miles, t 026,576.1171., show-
ing an increase of 3:10 miles, and of 2,000,6661. in the re-
ceipts, or 7'B per rent. Of this increase 244,8811. was con-
tnbuted by the London and North Western; 209,2891.
by the Midland ; 199,728/. by the Lancashire
and Yorkshire ; 128,916/. by the North Eastern ;
91,738/. by the Grad Western and Shrewsbury lines ;
74E021. by the London said South Western ; 58,1891. by
the South astern ; 56,277/. by the Great Northern ;
53,2141. by the London, Brighton. and South Coast ;
62,789/. by the Manchester, Sheffield. and Lincolnshire ;
52.3171. by the Great Southern and Western of Ireland ;
49,879/. by the Caledonian ; 47.9651. by the West Hartle-
pool ; 37,2461. by the Taff Vale ; 36.5131. by the Wean
Midland; 34,9901. by the Gliagow and South Western;
27,306/. by the North Stafforthhire ; 27,086/. by the South
Western ; 20,4171. by the Eastern Counties ; 18,8061. by
the Stockton and Darlington; 16,863/. by the Newcastle
and Carlisle ; and 10,84. Y. by the Midland Great Western
of Leland, making together, 1,5311,800/., and leaving the
remainder, 446,866/., as the aggregate increase on all the
other lines.

The capital expended on those lines amounted to
329,827,2005., or 32,500/. per mile. against 321,21.9,1001.,
or 32,8031. per mile at the corresponding period of the pre-
ceding year, showing an increase in the expenditure of
7,808,100/., while the increase in the traffic receipts wan
2,000,686/. This must be considered as a very satisfactory
result of the year's operations, having increased the dry'-
, dends of several rail ways for the End half of the year, and
will, no doubt, likewise contribute to increase the dividends
of the principal railways for the second half of 1860. It is
probable that the aggregate working expenses for the year
will amount to abolit 13,100,000 f., leaving 14,478,783/. for
interest and dividend on the capital expended, which will
give on the whole an average of shout 4/. As. per cent. for
the past year, being the highest average return on railway
capital since the year 1847.