The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-01 00:00:00

GREAT INDIAN PENINSULA.

The report of the directors states that during the
half-year no further portion of the railway was
opened for traffic. The number of miles worked was
553. The gross receipts brought into the revenue
statement amounted to X345.,(01_8„ beim &kismet*:
of £90,664 on the receipts of the corresponding
half of last year. The working expenses (including
the item " compensation ") amounted to £196,832,
or 60.56 per cent. of the receipts—and the amount
of net profit for the half-year, to be carried to the
credit of the interest account with the Government,
was £94,506. The average number of miles open
for traffic was 553, against 504, showing an increase
of 49 miles. The number of train miles run during
the half-year was 968,294, against 667,142, show-
ing an increase of 301,152 miles. The number of
passengers carried was 1,803,064, against 1,558,970,
showing an increase of 244,094. The receipts for
passengers, &c., were £103,611, against £79,160
for the corresponding half of 1863, showing an
increase of £24,450. The average receipt per pass
senger carried was ls. 41d., against 10-0. for the
same half of 1863, showing an increase of 31d. The
merchandise and other receipts amounted t0L221,396
against £155,182, showing an increase of £66,214.
The total receipts per train mile were 6s. 81d.,
and the expenditure 43. 9J. per train mile,
leaving the net profit is Hid per train mile. The
expenditure during the past year amounted to
£230,501, or 70.92 per cent., against £149,559, or
63.81 per cent., for the same half of last year,
showing an increase of £80,942, or 711 per cent.
The amount earned (but excluded from revenue ac-
count), applied to meet the cost of transporting
traffic across the ghats and in Bombay, was £48,866,
against £56,100, showing a decrease of £7,234.
The locomotive expenditure of last half year in-
cluded the cost of an engine replaced, and of re-
placing weggons lost in cotton fires. The charges
for maintenance of the line covered 24,146 sleepers
replaced, against 11,725 sleepers in the half year to
the 30th of June, 1863. Unusual local floods, aris-
ing out of the early storms of the monsoon, occa•
sioned serious damage to the opened portion of the
railway at three points. Shortly before daylight
on the 27th of June an embankment near Wassind
was damaged by the bursting of a succession of
shallow reservoirs in proximity to the railway, used
for the cultivation of rice. This unfortunately led
to an accident to a passenger train, attended with
loss of life to several passengers. On the 19th of
June a bridge of nine 30ft iren girder openings
over the Nuigunga river, close to the terminal sta-
tion of AlulleTere, on the Negpore branch, fell,
and on the 28th of June another bridge of five 20ft
arches, between Oaroolee end Kheirgaum stations,
was washed away, but the damage had been re-
paired. The lihore Ghat incline had been main-
tained clear for traffic since the 3d of March, ex-
cept for two days, the 231 and 24:h of June, when,
owing to two landslips from the hillside, the incline
vas impassable, and it was neces-ary to convey the
passenger traffic along the old temporary line to
Campoolee. In addition to the Mull Ghat (nine
milts), referred t) as likely to be completed by
the end of this sear, a farther section of 33 miles
of the NT' goore branch, extending from Mulapore
to Shaegaum, had been finished, and was ready for
public traffic early in June, but that its opening had
been postponed till the end of the monsoon.
Upon the remaining portion of the branch the works
ware in a very forward state as far as Budnaira,
701 miles beyond Shaegaum, and from Bud-
naira to Nagpore, 1081 miles, 97 per cent. of the
earthwork in embankments, 46 per cent of the bal-
lasting, 66 per cent of the viaducts, and 51 per cent
of the bridges had been executed. Upon the other
division of the north east line, from Bhosawul to
Jubbulpore, the progress accomplished was as fol-
lows :---From Bhosawul to Hurdah, 13e1 miles, 84
per cent of the earthwork in embankments, 32 per
cent of the ballasting, 75 per cent of the viaducts
and bridges, and 61 per cent of the culverts had
been executed. In the Taptee viaduct 90 per cent
of the masonry was finished. and the iron girders
were being prepared for erection. The permanent
way had been laid for 26 miles, and several of the
stations were in an advanced state. From Hurdah
to Sohagpore, 82 miles, 91 per cent of the earthwork
in embankments, 31 per cent of the ballasting, 48
per cent of the masonry in viaducts and bridges,
and 37 per cent in culverts had been executed.
About 11 miles of permanent way had been laid.
From Sohagpore to Jubbulpore, 1164 miles, the
progress had been less satisfactory than was antici-
pated, but all the bridges, excepting three, were in '
progress, and the ballasting for 40 miles of line had
been provided. The through railway communication
between Bombay and Madras was to be effected via
Raichore, at which place this company's railway
would be joined to that of the Madras Railway
Company. The distance from Sholaporo to Raichore
is 161 miles, and the line is now in course of being
surveyed and staked out for construction. As re-
garded the connection of this company's line with
the important town of Hyderabad, the directors
were enabled to state that the Ureat Indian Penin-
sula Extension Railway Company (Limited) were
in communication with the Government of India,
with the object of arranging terms for constructing
a branch from Kulburga, or its neighbourhood, to
Hyderabad.
The capital account to Jane 30 showed that
£12,150,636 had been received and £10,968,137 ex-
pended, leaving a balance of £1,182,489. The in•
terest account to June 30 with the Government
showed that the total interest paid by the Govern-
!tient amounted to £2,860,914, and that £709,453
of net revenue had been paid and was payable to
the Government, leaving £2,151,461 chargeable
against half.surplus profits over 5 per cent.